00:11Between 2015 and 2025, a total of 53,183 persons were arrested and charged for various
00:25offences within Trinidad and Tobago, not including traffic offences, of which 11,437 involved repeat
00:38offending, yielding a rearrest recidivism rate of approximately 22%.
00:46This indicates that nearly one in every five arrests during the review period involved
00:54an individual with prior arrest history.
01:08The data provided by the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service state that for the year 22 to
01:1526, 2022 to 2026, 22 to 23 had a recidivism rate of 58%, 23 to 24, 56%, 24 to 25,
01:3653%, 25 to 26, 57%.
01:45So more than half of our young persons in Trinidad and Tobago enter the prison service
01:58and they're coming out, doing more crimes, heading back in.
02:04It almost becomes like a school in the prison.
02:24You have partial parole, which will, you can come out after you spend quarter of your time behind prison.
02:31Quarter, partial parole, full parole, half your time.
02:37But as soon as you come in, you're going to be assessed.
02:41You're going to say this rehabilitation programs you have to go through.
02:45You have an anger problem.
02:46You have this problem.
02:48You need psychiatric treatment.
02:51You need therapy.
02:53So many things.
02:55That modern techniques are teaching us.
02:58Basically what we are doing, we are changing the behavior.
03:01We are trying to change the behavior of people who have fallen off the wagon.
03:19These rehabilitative programs are not mandatory.
03:23So prisoners are coming in.
03:26They are determining whether or not they can attend, should attend.
03:31Maybe they're lying with the boys in the front area.
03:33So there is nothing to really manage in totality the prisoners that are coming into the system.
03:41Under parole, Mr. President, we will be making rehabilitation a mandatory aspect of the prison service.
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