Study duration of inmates in Vietnam is from 04 to 06 days

Study duration of inmates in Vietnam is from 04 to 06 days​ (illustrative image)

In Article 12 of Decree 133/2020/ND-CP, detention facilities must develop programs, plans, content, time, and locations to organize legal education, civic education, according to different stages of serving prison sentences for inmates in Vietnam. To be specific:

- Immediately after being brought to serve a prison sentence, inmates are provided information and education on: The rights and obligations of inmates; rules of the detention facility; regulations on items allowed and prohibited in the detention facility; cultural norms, communication, and behavior of inmates; standards for prison sentence compliance competition and classification; policies on food, clothing, accommodation, activities, and medical care; labor policies and the use of labor results of inmates; activities, culture, arts, sports, reading newspapers, recreation; family visits, sending and receiving letters, money, gifts; phone contact; some content on moral values, life skills. The study and dissemination period ranges from 04 to 06 days;

- After being assigned to teams (groups), inmates are provided information and education on: Criminal policies of Vietnam; temporary suspension, reduction of prison sentences, special amnesty, conditional early release, exemption from prison sentences; some basic content of the Constitution, Law on Criminal Execution, Criminal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, Civil Code, Labor Code, Amnesty Law, Law on Drug Prevention and Control, Law on Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS, Law on Vocational Education, etc. and some content on moral values, life skills. The study and dissemination period is arranged for one day a week;

- Inmates who are about to complete their prison sentences are provided information and education on: Policies and legal regulations on community reintegration, production and business loans, career orientation, job seeking support; Law on Residence, Road Traffic Law, Water Traffic Law, regulations on recidivism, dangerous recidivism, criminal record expungement, security and social order, crime prevention and control, social evils prevention and control; some content on moral values, life skills; psychological counseling, legal procedure support. The study and dissemination period ranges from 05 to 07 days within 02 months before the inmate completes the prison sentence or before executing the special amnesty decision or conditional early release.

For inmates under 18 years old, in addition to the study program content stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article, they are also educated and provided information on: Law on Children, Law on Youth, Education Law, etc., and other legal documents related to age and gender.

For foreign inmates, they are educated and provided information on Vietnamese laws related to the crimes committed by foreign inmates. Depending on the foreign inmate's proficiency in Vietnamese, education and information may be provided in Vietnamese, English, or translated materials for their study; foreign inmates are encouraged to learn Vietnamese to study legal education, civic education programs, and content like other inmates. Educational content and materials on legal education and civic education may be translated into English or the language of the inmate's nationality.

Additionally, the teaching of culture, legal education, and civic education for inmates with hearing impairments, visual impairments, speech impairments, illnesses, pregnant female inmates, maternity leave, caring for young children, frequent sickness, or with physical, mental disabilities is decided by the head of the detention facility on a case-by-case basis.

Moreover, the detention facilities organize propagandas, education, and information dissemination for inmates about the orientations and policies of the Communist Party, laws of the State; achievements in economic, cultural, social development, historical, political, economic, and social events commemorating major holidays of the nation and localities. The propagation and dissemination of legal education serve the requirements and tasks of educating and reforming inmates, supporting community reintegration.

In addition to labor and study time, inmates are allowed to participate in physical training, sports, cultural activities, arts, reading books, newspapers, listening to the radio, and watching television suitable to the actual conditions of management, detention, and inmates' age. Inmates under 18 years old are allowed to participate in physical training, sports, cultural activities, arts, reading books, newspapers, listening to the radio, and watching television suitable to their age. Study and teaching materials of the legal education, civic education program for inmates are compiled by the Agency for Criminal Judgment Execution Management under the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense.

Detailed content can be found in Decree 133/2020/ND-CP, effective from December 25, 2020.

Le Vy

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