CHAPTER 25. HOME LEAVE AND TEMPORARY CONDITIONAL RELEASE Almost all prisoners will be released back into the community at the end of their sentences. Home leave and arrangements for temporary release on parole offer ways in which prisoners may begin to get used to the outside world again and start rebuilding their personal and work relationships. Such procedures also provide a way of testing a prisoner's response to life in society before final release is granted. PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS ■ The appropriate authorities must exercise good judgement in deciding who may go on home leave or temporary conditional release. There should be a proper procedure to assess the risk posed by any prisoner. ■ Provided a proper assessment is made of those who are granted home leave or temporary conditional release, there will be considerable benefit in encouraging prisoners to develop personal responsibility for their actions. ■ There must be clearly stipulated penalties for any prisoner who abuses the trust shown in him or her. ■ Prisoners can be granted temporary conditional release to work with local firms or to go to college or a training centre to acquire additional skills. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION Prisoners should be encouraged to begin to prepare for release from the very start of their sentence. Discuss what specific preparation they need before leaving the prison for home leave or temporary release. It would be wrong to suggest that there are no risks involved in allowing prisoners temporary release. No matter how effective the assessment procedures are, it is likely that a small number of prisoners may commit offences while on leave. How can the risk of this happening be minimized? A few prisoners may not return at the end of their leave and others may come back late or drunk. Some may attempt to smuggle goods back inside the prison. What should happen to these prisoners? How may a prison director make best use of the work opportunities available in the local community? What safeguards should be put in place when considering which prisoners should be encouraged to undertake work locally on day release from the prison? CASE STUDIES 1. A prisoner receives word that her child is extremely ill at home. She requests conditional release to visit him. The prisoner is serving a short sentence and is not regarded as a threat to the public. However, she has been a disciplinary problem during her sentence. If she were to be given temporary conditional release this would convey the wrong impression to other prisoners. On the other hand, this might be an opportunity to encourage her to mend her ways. What should be done? 2. How can a prison director convince the local community leaders that prisoners who come out to work on temporary release will not be a threat to the local community? What arguments can be used to convince them that involving prisoners in this way might benefit the community? 124