Situation at Penitentiary Establishments In the first half of 2012, in establishment N15 the centre for psycho-social and medical rehabilitation of torture victims (GCRT) carried out the program “establishment of 4R in Georgia” where there were two groups of 15 convicts going twice a week. The learning program included: Information technologies, marketing, book-keeping, English language, tile-layer, handling of construction skills. In establishment N16 N8 Non-governmental organization “Person, law and freedom” with the help of NORLAG was implementing the project “preparation for release” where 40 convicts were involved. The above training was taking place for two hours twice a week. 20 convicts were taking English language course; 16 convicts – small business course; 8 prisoners were involved in electrician skills and painting works course; furthermore the Health Ministry held a training on HIV/AIDS that was attended by 12 convicts. Since the end of 2012 the training and rehabilitation programs no longer operate in establishments of N15 and N16. Recommendations to the Minister of Corrections, Probation and Legal Assistance of Georgia: In the near future to ensure drawing up a work plan for resocialization of convicts, taking into consideration type of the establishment N8 and categories of convicts which in the future will serve as basis for elaboration of individual plans of sentence-serving of convicts. EMPLOYMENT OF PRISONERS According to the European Prison Rules, 26.1 “Prison work shall be approached as a positive element of the prison regime and shall never be used as a punishment “.27 “Prison authorities shall strive to provide sufficient work of a useful nature”.28“As far as possible, the work provided shall be such as will maintain or increase prisoners’ ability to earn a living after release“.29 For the period of January 1st to March 31st, 2012, 26 convicts were engaged in paid labour activity in the penitentiary establishments; for the period from April 1st to June 30th, 2012 – 26 convicts; for the period July 1st to September 30th, 2012 – 25 convicts; for the period from October 1st to December 31st, 2012 - 25 convicts. Recommendation to the Georgian Minister of Corrections, Probation and Legal Assistance: To elaborate strategy and work plan of employment of convicts in cooperation with relevant agencies; To ensure relevant pay to convicts registered in the service unit. 27 28 29 Rule 26.1 Rule 26.2 Rule 26.3 NPM Report 2012 For years, convicts that were registered in service unit have been engaged in hard work (for example, distribution of food in accommodation blocks, which included taking containers weighting 25-30 kilos to cells of the accommodation blocks; delivery of products purchased by convicts in prison shop to these convicts; cleaning of territory of establishments, including communal toilets, etc) though they were not paid. During the monitoring, majority of those registered in the service unit noted that they no longer wanted to carry out the above-mentioned duties without a pay. The representatives of the establishment administration also spoke about this issue and noted that number of convicts registered or those wishing to enroll in the service unit was declining on a daily basis.