Vietnam: Strong coordination in helping people who have completed their prison sentences reintegrate into the community

According to Article 4 of the Circular No. 71/2012/TT-BCA of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam, the General Department of Police on Criminal Judgment Execution and Judicial Assistance (General Department VIII) is the standing agency of the Ministry of Public Security in the implementation of Decree No. 80/2011/NĐ-CP dated September 16, 2011 of Vietnam’s Government providing measures to assure community re-integration for persons having completely served their prison sentences, shall be responsible for presiding over and coordinating with relevant agencies and units as follows:

- Advise the Ministry of Public Security to coordinate with relevant ministries and branches in researching, developing and promulgating documents specifying contents and measures to ensure community reintegration for persons who have completed their imprisonment sentences;

- Direct and guide prisons, detention camps and detention houses to implement conditions to ensure community reintegration for inmates who are about to finish serving their prison sentences; coordinate with functional agencies in promulgating or submitting to competent authorities for promulgation specific regulations on contents, programs, education and counseling activities for prisoners in prisons, detention camps, detention houses;

- Inspect, guide and summarize results of implementation of measures to ensure community reintegration;

- Estimate regular funding for the community reintegration work for those who have completed their prison sentence, and report to the Ministry for inclusion in the annual bank estimate.

Besides, the General Department of Police for Administrative Management of Social Order (General Department VII) is responsible for:

- Assuming the prime responsibility for, and coordinating with the General Department of VIII, the Department of Construction of the All-People Movement for National Security Protection (V28) in guiding the Public Security of the provinces and central-affiliated cities (collectively referred to as the Provincial-level Public Security) to direct the police force for administrative management of social order to implement specific contents and measures in the reception, management, education and assistance of persons who have completed their imprisonment sentences until their criminal records are expunged according to the provisions of the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code of Vietnam;

- Assuming the prime responsibility for directing and guiding the police force for the administrative management of social order and the local police in performing the task of receiving persons who have finished serving prison sentences; advising the Party committees and local authorities on the assignment of organizations and individuals to be responsible for managing, educating and assisting persons who have completed their prison sentences; guiding the procedures for registration of residence, issue of people's identity cards and assist in handling other legal procedures within their competence for those returning to their localities after serving their prison sentences.

Moreover, the Department of Construction of the All-People Movement for National Security Protection (V28) is responsible for:

- Advising the leaders of the Ministry to include the implementation of measures to ensure the reintegration of the community for those who have completed their prison sentences in the plan, measures to build the movement of the whole people to protect the security of the Fatherland and the mass mobilization work of the People's Public Security force;

- Assuming the prime responsibility for, and coordinating with relevant units in, guiding and directing the local police to coordinate with other departments, branches, mass organizations and social organizations to continue promoting and mobilizing the entire population to participate in education and help those who have completed their prison sentences in the community.

View more details at the Circular No. 71/2012/TT-BCA of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam, effective from January 14, 2013.

 Le Vy

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