Agenda Item 4
The Reception and Classification of Prisoners
as the Key to Rehabilitation
Background
Thailand had firstly operated the classification of prisoners in 1963. At that time, there had been a consideration that young and first-time offenders were corrigible group who still could be important manpower of the country, and that they should be classified and treated differently. Qualification of young offender had been stipulated and young offenders were classified and sent for specific treatment in the correctional institution for young offenders.
Later in year 1982, the Department of Corrections has considered that classification of prisoners is an important mission that should be widely operated, and not only conducted to young offenders. It also needed to be practiced by professionals. The Department of Corrections had recruited some social workers to work in prisons and to be main persons to operate classification of prisoners as well as to provide social welfare services to the prisoners. Most prisons in the country had operated classification scheme, but there actually neither official guideline of the practice nor the evaluation system.
It was in 1992 that the Department of Corrections stipulated in its policy that classification of prisoners be implemented in every prison and correctional institution, so that individual inmate can be treated appropriately. Having indicated classification scheme in the policy, the Department has sent a group of classification officers from the headquarters to provide guidance and supervision to prisons all across the country.
* Director of Foreign Affairs Section
Department of Corrections, Thailand
Factors Effecting the Classification of Prisoners
Prisoners classification system in Thailand has been recognized and implemented for over 30 years, yet the changes have passed slowly. In the past, prisoners were imprisoned all together without any segregation. At present, attempts have been made to separate prisoners according to their personal background and their type of offense. The Department of Corrections has stipulated that classification of prisoners be part of its main policy on the effective treatment of prisoner. At the beginning, classification was done by prison staff, then it has been assigned as a responsibility of the prison’s social worker or penologist. In Thailand, there is no specific facility for the classification procedure. Each prison has to perform the prisoners’ classification within the facility at its best and most appropriate capacity.
During this last decade, the country’s economic crisis has happened and has unavoidably effected correctional work. The number of inmates, particularly drug offenders, has been rapidly increased, which resulted in the severe overcrowding situation in prisons. Each prison has to renovate its facilities in order to serve the increasing number of inmates. To say the least, it has to provide enough sleeping space to the inmates within the facility. And with the economic crisis, the Thai government is not able to provide budget for the construction of new prisons or correctional institutions. Neither it be able to support more manpower to be balance with the number of inmates. Stress has occurred everywhere, both in inmates who have to survive in limited space, and in prison staff who have to keep the inmate in good custody. There have been tendencies of escape and riots in prisons. The main mission of Corrections Department has been emphasized on the effective custody of prisoners and the prevention of riot or escape. The mission on rehabilitation which is the connection of classification has unavoidably been turned to second priority.
Though facing with problems on the increase of prisoners and the lack of facility, the Department of Corrections has never given up the policy on classification of prisoners. There has been the adjustment on the practice so that classification scheme be parallel to actual circumstances and can render most effective outcome. Target group of prisoner classification becomes smaller and more emphasis is made to non-criminal offenders and the group believed to be corrigible. It is expected that prisoner classification be completely operated so that it can truly be a key to rehabilitation.
Prisoners Classification System
At present, the objective of prisoners classification system in Thailand is to rehabilitate the inmate individually and efficiently. Effected by various social factors, the system has been reviewed and set out as most appropriate to the actual circumstances. Prisoners shall be categorised and classified into 4 groups as follows:
Group 1: Prisoners that Need No Rehabilitation
This group of prisoners covers offenders who have committed crimes unintentionally or those committed financial offenses. Most of these prisoners are well-educated, having stable work before the crime, and having good relation with their own family. Samples of this group are university scholars, medical doctors, engineers, company administrators, financial officers, or public officers. This group of prisoners has actually recognised the fact of their own offenses and does not need guidance or specific treatment programs. Prisons are advised to take advantage of these prisoners by assign to them with certain works that help other prisoners such as teaching in fields that they are good at.
Group 2: Corregible Prisoners
This group of prisoners covers first-time offenders, unintentional offenders or non-professional offenders such as those committing crime against life or bodily harm, sex offenders, offenders against property, and small-amount drug dealers. These groups of offenders shall be provided with programs for mental rehabilitation and quality of life improvement. Systematic planning and follow-up programs are to be applied to the implementation; so that the outside society is able to perceive concrete outcome on the treatment of offenders resulting from prisoners classification system.
Group 3: Incorrigible Prisoners
Incorreigible prisoners are hard-core prisoners. They often commit crime repeatedly and sometimes are professional criminal. This group of offenders is difficult to deal with or to be corrected. Emphasis is then made on the strict custody and, occasionally, mental development.
Group 4: Specific Category of Prisoners
This group of prisoners covers prisoners who have specific characters or needs that should be treated differently. They consist of sick prisoners, handicapped prisoners, elderly prisoners, drug addicted prisoners, foreign prisoners, or many more. After the procedure of classification of prisoners, specific rehabilitative programs should be provided to this group to be most appropriate to their needs.
Quantity versus Quality
There are 2 dimensions of the operation on prisoner classification that are the quantity-focused operation and the quality-focused operation. As for the quantity-focused operation, classification shall be operated with all groups of prisoners, commencing on the very first day of reception of inmates into custody. The prisoners shall enter classification system and then shall be placed in category groups so as to receive quality-focused operation.
The quality-focused operation is implemented on the Group 2 and Group 4 prisoners, regarding the fact that they are corrigible offenders and the overcrowding circumstance of the prisons. Due to the high number of prisoners in Thailand, classification as a key to rehabilitation is, therefore, operated only to particular group of prisoners. The quantity-focus operation can be done to every prisoner, but the outcome cannot be effective.
Score-based Classification
At present, studies have been made to improve the effectiveness of prisoner classification system by using score-based scrutiny. The basic information of each prisoner shall be classified and shall be given numbers upon the level of severity or periodical background such as the severity of offense, the seriousness of previous criminality background, previous escape history, disciplinary conduct, education and family background, etc. The score derived from the interview on reception shall be an indicator for appropriate treatment of each prisoner. This score-based classification system is, therefore, believed to enhance better effectiveness of the rehabilitation of prisoners.
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