NCJ Number
87782
Date Published
1982
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This discussion of Malaysian corrections considers prison industries, remands, prison officers and human rights, prisoner exchange arrangements, drug-abusing inmates, and accreditation.
Abstract
Malaysia has 21 prison industries, and cattle farming and a plastics industry will soon be introduced. Most of the industries are intended primarily for training prisoners, so they are small-scale and not profit oriented. Problems faced by the prison industries are the need for better training for instructors, the limited value of trade certificate issued by the Prison Department, the inferior quality of prison products, the need to establish joint ventures with private industry, and the difficulty of finding employment for releasees. About 25 percent of prisoners are remands; they often remain in prison for over 1 year and sometimes as long as 3 years. To address overcrowding, plans are underway to build a number of new remand prisons. Hiring requirements for prison officers specify minimum education, age, and physical requirements, and in addition to a 3-month basic training course, probation for candidates is provided from 1 to 3 years. Discipline is provided for officers who abuse prisoners. Currently, no agreement exists between Malaysia and other countries for the exchange of prisoners, and there is little official support for such agreements. Drug-abusing inmates have increased in number in recent years, and steps have been taken to deal with them, notably counseling and segregation from other inmates. In every penal institution, all facilities and conditions for living, work, recreation, education, and spiritual and mental uplift conform to the standards prescribed by medical authorities and social conscience. Related tabular data are appended.