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Eid gifts for prison inmates, families

In a first-of-its-kind humanitarian initiative, the General Department of Punitive and Corrective Department of the Dubai Police, in coordination with the Human Care Section at the Dubai jail, has made several donations to inmates and their families.

The donations included money and 200 vouchers of Emirates Cooperative Society for families of UAE national inmates. They also distributed Eid clothes for 36 children of women inmates, donated by an Emirati woman. Money and Eid gifts were presented to the children of some other inmates as well, on account of Eid Al Adha.

Major-General Mohammed Humaid Al Suwaidi, Director of the General Department of Punitive and Corrective Department, said that the department treats the inmates as family members and is trying to help their families bring a smile on the faces of their children. The Human Care Section is coordinating with charity organisations to help the inmates and their families during Eid and other events and is getting money to help in releasing some of them who are languishing in the jails even after their jail terms due to financial obligations.

Latifa bin Khadem, head of Human Care Section, said: “In cooperation with philanthropic people and organisations, we distributed coupons from Union Cooperative to family members of 50 inmates who came to visit them in prison. Some other coupons provided by a charity person would be distributed after Eid days.

It include 100 coupons of Dh500 and Dh100 and gift vouchers of Dh250 for buying from Emirates Cooperative.

She said it was the first time that a prison at the regional level was distributing free vouchers to families of inmates.

The police have issued a circular to inmates in all prisons to inform their families to bring their IDs and the number of family members and children to obtain the coupons. She said the initiative will reduce the burden on families who have lost support of their breadwinners. She said an Emirati woman had distributed Eid clothes for 36 children of women inmates from ages one month to six years. She was given sizes of the children and she brought clothes and shoes for the children.

The prison also has given Dh50 for the children as Eid gift. She said that during the past nine months, the section has made settlements and financial aid of Dh1,400,000 to 966 inmates, in addition to payment of blood money to a number of inmates.

amira@khaleejtimes.com