It's very sad': She comforts loved ones turned away by inmates

In this new series, people from all walks of life offer an inside, often unfiltered, take on their livelihoods and what keeps them going in their jobs. In this installment, witness the joys and pains of Ms Nur Syahzanna Hamzah's work as a prison visit centre officer, as told to The Sunday Times.

- Sharon Salim

I am 33 and I work with the Singapore Prison Service to help inmates and their loved ones adjust to their new circumstances.

My day begins in one of Singapore's five prison link centres, places where family members and friends can book a date and register their visit to an incarcerated loved one.

Facilitating these visits is important as they help inmates adjust to prison life, and being able to see their loved ones can alleviate depressive symptoms that may arise from imprisonment. The visits also provide opportunities for inmates to reconcile with and improve their relationships with their families. These meetings often lead to better behaviour and moods, reducing rates of misconduct.

My role is to offer as much support to them as possible. This involves anything from verifying and processing visitors to answering their questions on the prison's policies and procedures. Sometimes, it can be frustrating for loved ones to adhere to the rules.

Visitors ask about matters like inmates' medical treatments and prison regime. "How will my loved ones cope with life in prison? Will there be necessary support provided for the inmates? Will there be counselling or financial and housing support for family members, especially those with children?"

If they need financial aid, we refer them to the Family Resource Centre.

The frequency and types of visits differ for different categories of inmates. For instance, sentenced inmates and those admitted to the Drug Rehabilitation Centre (DRC) can have two visits a month. These can consist of tele-visits, with a maximum of one face-to-face visit.

Remand inmates—those in custody by court order as they await trial or sentencing—can have up to four visits a week, including two 20-minute face-to-face ones. Tele-visits can last up to 30 minutes.

MEETING PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE