The annual event provides a platform foragencies responsible for prison and correctional administration within Asia-Pacificto meet, exchange ideas, and share practices in corrections.
This year’s event, to last until November 16, bringstogether more than 200 delegates from 25 countries, three international organisations, and 18 diplomatic agencies. This is the second time the Vietnamese ministry hashosted the rotary event.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of PublicSecurity Nguyen Van Long highlighted APCCA’s significant contributions toenhancing international cooperation in prison management and corrections.
Such information and experience exchanges between APCCAmembers are important for countries and territories to raise the efficiency ofcorrectional practices, he continued.
Long noted his hope that the participants will raisefeasible solutions to improve the efficiency and quality of correctionaladministration, helping prisoners soon return to normal life and contributingto preventing and reducing crimes, thus creating a healthy environment for thedevelopment in each nation and the entire region.
The conference will touch upon challenges to theprison service in Vietnam and solutions to them; safe environment and healthcare for prisoners with mental and behaviour disorders, and those with drug-relatedproblems, and disabilities; how to minimise recidivism through rehabilitationprogrammes; cooperation with private partners and organisations in corrections;and improving material facilities and technologies to serve the work.
Shie Yong Lee, head of the Singaporean delegation, saidprisons should be safe places for both inmates and correctional administrators,stressing the need to promote social reintegration of prisoners and raisepublic confidence in prison management.
First held in 1980, APCCA now gathers 34 memberagencies from 25 countries./.