Baseline for successful rehabilitation Engagement and support All prison rehabilitation programmes require the engagement and institutional support of relevant authorities to ensure short-term success and long-term sustainability. It is very important for NGOs and other community groups to be involved in rehabilitation projects, due to their expertise and because prisoners feel they can trust them. However, projects also need the support and financial backing of authorities and close coordination of all relevant actors in order to thrive. Before developing new projects, prison authorities should have a good understanding of the profile of the prison population, the quality and impact of existing programmes (as well as any gaps), available resources, and actual market needs. This analysis will allow authorities to devise appropriate national strategies for rehabilitation and reintegration. They should also establish structures to oversee the implementation of such strategies.50 Another important consideration is the effective monitoring and evaluation of prison rehabilitation programmes to ensure effectiveness and sustainability. Such efforts should be centrally organised and managed, and should, where possible, consider the impact of specific programmes on recidivism levels, the employment rates of former prisoners, and other indicators.51 Monitoring and evaluation of rehabilitation programmes need to be carried out in a gender-sensitive and gender-responsive way. Equally importantly, independent monitors should have access to information about rehabilitation programmes in order to check that they are being applied fairly and consistently and in accordance with international human rights standards. Police officials and members of the judiciary also have a key role to play in rehabilitation. Experiences of police custody can impact the rehabilitation chances of offenders, whilst members of the judiciary can exercise a wide range of powers designed to reduce reoffending, including through their sentencing and parole eligibility decisions. All officials working in the criminal justice system should receive training on the importance of appropriate rehabilitation and non-custodial measures, and to address gender-specific needs. 20 | Penal Reform International and Thailand Institute of Justice | Guide to the rehabilitation and social reintegration of women prisoners