This piece is part of MS Explains, a segment where we provide clarity to common or key topics, making them easier to digest.
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“S Iswaran will serve his remaining sentence at his residence under specified conditions,” said the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) on Friday (7 Feb).
The announcement came just four months after Singapore’s former transport minister was convicted of corruption.
Under the Home Detention Scheme, Iswaran will serve the rest of his 12-month sentence at home.
While Singapore has a reputation for its strict laws, less is known about what happens when inmates serve their sentences.
According to the SPS, about 44.0% of the inmates eligible for the Home Detention Scheme were found suitable for emplacement on the scheme.
We take a closer look at what home detention means and how inmates can qualify for the scheme.
The goal of the Home Detention Scheme is to rehabilitate and reintegrate inmates into Singaporean society with the help of their family members.
It is a part of SPS’ Community Based Programmes (CBP) which hope to help inmates reconnect with their families and be contributing members of society.
The CBP allows suitable inmates to serve the tail-end of their sentences in the community. They could study, work, or be involved in community service.
However, they are subject to supervision and several conditions.
Inmates who qualify for the Home Detention Scheme, such as Iswaran, will be given curfews and monitored using an electronic tag.
Source: Belga News Agency. Image for illustration purposes only.
They are also required to attend counselling, therapy, and any other activity that authorities deem necessary.
Additionally, inmates must comply with any urine or hair tests at any time.
Authorities can also enter their residence to check if they are still complying with the conditions of the scheme.
If they fail to comply with these conditions, their home detention can be revoked. They will then have to serve the rest of their sentence in prison.
Under the Prisons Act, an inmate is eligible for home detention if he or she has served at least 14 days in prison.
The period served under home detention — the remaining time in the sentence — must also not exceed 12 months.
Inmates who have an imprisonment sentence of less than four weeks are not eligible for the scheme.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), lawyers said it is common for offenders to become eligible for home detention after serving a third of their sentence.
Iswaran has served four months of his 12-month sentence, exactly a third, which he spent in a single-man cell.
Source: Ministry of Home Affairs
Additionally, SPS assesses the inmate’s suitability for the scheme based on their conduct.
Authorities factor in good behavior and inmate response to rehabilitation when deciding whether or not someone should be placed into home detention.
SPS’ website states that no application is required and that it will notify inmates of their eligibility.
SPS confirmed in a statement that Iswaran is eligible for the scheme. It also said:
He has been assessed suitable for emplacement on the scheme, as he is of low risk of re-offending, did not commit any institutional offence in prison, and has strong family support.
During this period, Iswaran should also be occupied in work, study, or training.
Singapore boasts one of the lowest recidivism rates in the world, according to the Singapore Prison Service (SPS).
This means that convicted criminals here have a lesser tendency to re-offend.
According to an SPS press release from 2023, Singapore’s two-year recidivism rate (for prisoners released in 2021) is 22%. This is among the lowest in the world with Japan at 14% and Denmark at 31.4%.
Community programmes — which include the Home Detention Scheme — have been one of the key factors in ensuring this positive trend.
Providing offenders with proper support through family interaction is vital in ensuring they stay out of prison after their sentence.
Also read: ‘What I did was wrong’: Iswaran breaks silence, says he’s not appealing 12-month jail sentence
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News and Expatwoman.com. Image on the right for illustration purposes only.
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