Prisons Policy

03-8732 8000 pro@prison.gov.my

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Prison Policy Division

Published: 04 June 2020

Last Updated: 05 March 2024

The role of the Prison Policy Division is to study and make recommendations on the policies/issues/programmes that have an impact on the administration and management of the correctional services as a whole. Appropriate and relevant management techniques will be used in the scrutiny and analysis of the said policies/issues/programmes.

Objectives

To plan, formulate, coordinate, monitor and oversee the implementation of strategic policies, guided by the goals of the programmes or activities of the department at national and international levels
To lead, develop and evaluate the prison policy and programmes, as well as assessment of recidivists, that give focus to the new core business of the Prisons Department
To act as a think tank and strategic integrator to ensure that policies/programmes/projects are planned and formulated in an integrated and efficient manner for implementation by correctional institutions across the nation
To ensure that the implementation of correctional programmes in prison institutions is in line with current needs and with the policies that have been planned and formulated

Functions

To become the key pillar of the Prisons Department’s new core business in the development and advancement of prison, correctional and recidivist evaluation contents as a guide, programme and direction for the prison institutions, prisoners and the community that is appropriate in accordance with the changing times, and to coordinate prison affairs
To undertake strategic planning and preparation of doctrines for prison, correctional and societal development programmes
To build bilateral and multilateral networking with foreign prison departments
To carry out planning, research and monitoring relating to the national key result areas (NKRAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) for the comprehensive evaluation of the quantitative and qualitative aspects of management and development of the Prisons Department
To assist in planning and preparing the formulation and determination of policy, to determine the direction and plans, to prepare the strategic plans and to conduct planning and research (R&D) for the development of the Prisons Department
To direct the planning and formulation of new policies in relation to the core business of the department
To evaluate the implementation effectiveness of policies and regulations in line with the direction of the department
To continuously improve existing policies and regulations based on best practices through benchmarking
To advise and consult on the planning and formulation of policies in relation to the core business of the department
To identify and track current domestic and international issues that affect the correctional services of the department
To plan the strategy and direction to be taken in anticipation of challenges to be faced and handled by the department through the establishment of new policies for the development of correctional services
To prepare departmental reports such as the annual report, the departmental NKRA implementation report as well as the departmental KPI achievement report
To review the implementation effectiveness and suitability of existing laws, regulations and standing orders in the department
To propose new bills that are appropriate for the development of correctional services
To coordinate and represent the department at international correctional meetings such as the APPCA and Harm Reductions
To coordinate the department’s stand on matters regarding correctional policy, and to participate in bilateral, multilateral and regional negotiations
To implement and monitor the implementation of policies and regulations at divisions and prison institutions
To prepare and coordinate the implementation of the Prisons Department Master Plan and Strategic Planning
To cooperate with research centres and government agencies, higher educational institutions and other research programmes in respect of correctional services
To systematically compile all the decisions made in pre-Cabinet meetings, meetings of the ministry’s top management, meetings of the heads of institutions and MATINPEN (Prison Action Council) meetings
To be responsible for the planning and implementation of policies as well as to conduct research to strengthen the department
To monitor the efforts undertaken to improve and reform the administration of the divisions and institutions
To implement and monitor the implementation of public service policies and regulations at the divisions/institutions
To identify and make recommendations for the improvement of policies applied at the department and institutions in order to accommodate the current situation
To evaluate the development and progress of the administration and management of the department and institutions through the analysis of improvement and reformation programmes and efforts, and subsequently make the appropriate recommendations
To monitor the annual performance expectations of the department

Client Charter

To hold meetings of the Planning and Development Committee of the Prisons Department six (6) times a year
To issue at least one (1) journal publication in a year
To conduct at least two (2) studies related to policy issues of the Prisons Department within the following periods:
Empirical study: within the period of twelve (12) months;
Non-empirical study: within the period of six (6) months; and
Studies involving consultants: subject to the period stipulated in the terms of contract

• To prepare feedback/commentary on the following issues:

Issues related to the general policy of the Prisons Department: within five (5) working days; and
Issues related to technical inputs from the departments/divisions of the Prisons Department: within ten (10) working days

Strategies

To prepare the Division Implementation Action Plan at the beginning of each year, with the involvement of all levels of officers and staff
To cooperate with internal and external divisions and agencies in order to achieve the objectives more effectively
To monitor the implementation of correctional programmes/activities at the department and institutions by recommending policy changes in accordance with the current needs
To establish relevant committees in order to ensure programmes/activities are implemented in accordance with the policies
To hold scheduled meetings for all matters such as the coordination of parliamentary answers and the preparation of Cabinet papers as well as working papers

This division consists of two sections:

Policy Section
The functions of this section are:

To plan and coordinate the formulation of policies in all fields related to the role of the department in the development of correctional services
To manage the implementation of policies relating to correctional development at institutions
To coordinate the implementation of correctional development policies between government agencies, the private sector and non-governmental organisations
To develop correctional service policies for current and future requirements

Recidivist Section
The functions of this section are:

To examine the issues/problems of the recidivist development strategy policies or programmes in relation to their impact on the target group
To prepare proposal papers to re-evaluate the recidivist policy and strategy implemented to achieve the prescribed KPIs
To coordinate and carry out the tasks of monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the implementation of any policy/strategy/programme to reduce recidivism
To assist the division/institutions in formulating strategies to monitor the evaluation and effectiveness of the programmes carried out
To study the impact of the rehabilitation programme carried out in order to reduce the recidivism rate
To implement and assist in the planning of strategies to reduce the recidivism rate, covering the rethinking and reengineering of the division/institutions
To undertake a study on the correlation between the reduction of the recidivism rate and the effectiveness of joint rehabilitation programmes with public educational institutions.