TAIF — An official source in the Directorate of Prisons in Taif said drug addiction among prisoners in the governorate has increased. Many prisoners return to prison after being released as a result of drug-related offenses and one prisoner returned 15 times to prison because of his addiction. As a result of their addictions, many prisoners end up spending a significant amount of their lives behind bars, Al-Hayat daily reported. The source said drug abuse often starts immediately after a prisoner is released from jail. He said a lack of social acceptance drives many prisoners to return to prison to escape social scrutiny and the unforgiving attitudes of people toward ex-cons. “Society views an ex-con as a corrupted element that poses a danger to others. People avoid talking to former prisoners and many find it hard to get married. Faced with rejection on multiple fronts, prisoners often feel that remaining behind bars is better than facing an unforgiving society,” he said. The directorate suggested that repeat offenders participate in psychological and health studies. “Society bears a responsibility toward the prisoner in contributing to amending his conduct and bringing him to the right path as an effective and productive member of society. This can happen if he is accepted as a participating element of society and by forgiving past mistakes that he committed,” he said. The source added: “Among the factors that will contribute to amending the prisoner's conduct is to admit him in daily compulsory classes throughout his jail term. Lectures or classes will start in the mornings and continue until the afternoon throughout the week, especially for those who have been sentenced to prison for more than one year.”
