More than 50 prisoners return from prison to Kėdainiai district alone every year: who helps them?

For the integration program of prisoners from Kėdainiai district municipalities 10 thousand is allocated in the budget for this year. euros. Last year, 100 euros less was allocated for such a program – 9 thousand. 900 euros, and in 2021 there was no such program yet.

For the second year, the municipality has been allocating money to help those returning from prisons, but as Renata Dubauskė, head of the Convict Integration Program, notes, not everyone needs such help. R. Dubauskė told “Rinkas aikšte” where the taxpayers’ money intended to integrate ex-prisoners into society goes and what it is used for.

photo from the personal archive/Renata Dubauskė

– Renata, in the annual activity plan of the municipal administration, it was foreseen that 40 convicted persons would return from prisons to Kėdainiai district during this entire year of 2023. Do all those returning from prisons need help integrating into society?

– Such a number of returnees per year was predicted, but already today we have 53 reports of planned paroles or releases from prisons following the end of the sentence, and it is not yet the end of the year. During the first half of this year, according to our knowledge, 21 persons returned to freedom in Kėdainiai municipality.

The number is not entirely accurate, as not all returnees seek help. Some do not need social assistance, because they are able to manage independently, they have a social circle of people (family, relatives, friends, colleagues, etc.) who help and support them. A certain part of those who have returned following serving a prison sentence do not dare to ask for help, another part believes that they will be able to integrate into society on their own, but they overestimate their strength and stumble once more.

Lithuanian society’s attitude towards convicts is stigmatized. Even 88 percent of Lithuanians would not want to live in the neighborhood with a convicted person.

– What kind of help is provided to persons returning from prisons?

– The “Carito” Convict Integration Program of Kaunas Archdiocese aims to soften the release of a person, to give hope that there is an opportunity to change and start life anew. According to the description of the procedure for “social integration of persons released (released) from correctional institutions”, following receiving a notification regarding the planned release of a wheelchair user, we implement the second stage of social integration. A significant part of our work takes place in prisons, helping convicts prepare for their return to freedom. We have recognized and self-assessed that the assistance process is much more successful when contact with convicts is established while they are serving their prison sentence.

Together with the person preparing for freedom, we assess what kind of help he needs, and create an action plan. We aim to meet at least 2-3 times in the prison. A more intensive assistance process begins when a person returns to freedom – finding/declaring a place of residence, solving debt problems with bailiffs, addiction diseases, health problems, need for legal assistance, help with opening a bank account or registering with the Employment Service, information regarding social benefits, assistance, mediation and representation . Also help in case of relationship difficulties in the family or with relatives.

Since 2022, we have been providing assistance not only to convicts, but also to their relatives and family members in Lithuania.

– Do all persons willingly accept help, or are there some who refuse it?

– In our work practice, we meet people who refuse help. Sometimes the opt-out is indicated in the message we receive, but we still invite you to a live meeting at the prison. And there have been cases where a person who refused help changed his mind during the interview and we traveled a beautiful path of cooperation, but there are also those who do not want to accept help. We respect such a person’s choice and only leave information on how to find us if the situation changes.

As I mentioned before, there is a part of convicts who have excellent social skills, strong relationships with family and loved ones, who have reconsidered their life path and are making new plans for life in freedom. They don’t need help, but they are usually happy to talk and share their experiences, and when they return to freedom, they call to let you know that everything is fine or even stop by for a cup of tea or coffee.

– The annual activity plan of the municipal administration provides for the allocation of 10,000. euros for the integration of persons returned from prison. Where and what is this money used for? Are the funds allocated by the municipality sufficient?

– From the funds allocated by the municipality, the salary of a half-time social worker is paid, travel expenses are covered when going to prisons, which are quite widely spread – Alytus, Marijampolė, Pravieniškės, Panevėžys. We also prepare and, as needed, distribute support kits with food and hygiene products to those who have just returned to freedom. We also had emergency situations when we bought food and organized clothing support for those who lost their loved ones and their place of residence.

We are very happy that the municipality of Kėdainiai cares regarding convicts and their successful return to society.

Allocated funds provide an opportunity to not leave socially disadvantaged people to their fate, to help and accompany them as much as possible. We see that return numbers are increasing, which means that our operating costs are also increasing, which should lead to proportional funding as well.

– Maybe you might compare with the previous year, what number of persons who returned from the prison were assisted in integrating into society?

– During the past year, we received 48 reports – 37 regarding possible parole, 11 regarding people who have served a fixed term sentence. All those who are preparing to live in freedom were met in prisons and underwent initial consultations, assessment of needs and creation of a support plan. 13 persons who returned to freedom were provided with services: finding and declaring a place of residence, assistance in processing documents to receive financial support, referral to health care services, treatment of addiction diseases, employment, solving problems of bailiff debts, restoration of social relations. We accompanied, mediated and represented the interests of our clients as needed.

Even such an everyday thing as going to the store to buy food can be a big challenge for a person who has returned from prison and has to accompany him.

– Who finds it easier – men or women – to integrate into society following returning from prisons?

– The majority of all imprisoned persons in Lithuania are adult men, women make up only 4-5 percent. imprisoned persons. Therefore, 1-3 women return to Kėdainiai municipality per year. It is difficult to objectively assess and compare the difficulty or ease of returning to society according to gender, but in practical activities I notice that society’s attitude towards women serving a prison sentence is stricter than towards men. Society seems to raise higher moral standards for women. The success of integration, I think, mostly depends on personal motivation and available human resources, regardless of gender.

– In general, how are the above-mentioned persons managing to integrate in the Kėdainiai district, that is, how is society accepting them, is it difficult for them to find a job and sustain themselves in it, etc.?

– Partly as I have already answered this question before. Even if we want to, we cannot solve all the problems for the client, but we are ready to walk with the client as long as he needs our help to return to a full life. We can help a person to the extent that he himself is ready for change. Therefore, first of all, we aim to ignite or maintain hope that there is a possibility to start life anew. Sometimes I even joke that we are our clients’ “fans” – we are happy when they succeed and live with their failures.

However, returning following serving a prison sentence, especially if it has lasted for a long period of time, and starting a new life is difficult. It is very important how much society and close environment, if any, accept and support a person. Even such an everyday thing as going to the store to buy food can be a big challenge for a person who has returned from prison and has to accompany him.

– Maybe you know how employers look at such persons, i.e. do they willingly hire them?

– Lithuanian society’s attitude towards convicts is stigmatized. Even 88 percent of Lithuanians would not want to live in the neighborhood with a convicted person. However, the attitude of employers is more favorable than that of society, because they do not value a person’s past as much as his abilities, motivation and desire to work. Maybe it’s a bit more difficult when the community is smaller and they know each other more, personal differences may arise due to the damage suffered, etc. Sometimes those who have returned following imprisonment decide to hide and not tell their employers regarding their punishment, while others still get a job while on probation.

I personally encourage you to accept your life story and not hide it. I had to help write a motivational letter for a person who had almost no work experience due to a long prison sentence, but in the letter explained his desire to change and live differently. Today he is working and it is a big success story for me.

– Renata, do you have information on how many persons from the Kėdainiai district enter a prison every year (for example, in the last five years)? What are the most common crimes people are incarcerated for?

– We do not have such information. By providing social services, we meet the convicted person here and now, in his current situation. We never ask what crime he is serving his sentence for – only the man himself can reveal that, if it is important to him. There is no such information in the Pending Release Notice that we receive. I think that it is not important at all for what crime a person was punished for, it is much more important whether during that punishment the person received the necessary help to rethink his act, its consequences for the victims, his relatives and himself.

Without touching on the history of a specific person, he usually remains defined by his action – the crime he committed. And it is the responsibility of all of us to help a person who stumbles to get up and not stumble once more if we want to live in a safer society.