Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Inmates Who Go Through Divorce Proceedings During Incarceration or After Release by Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law

Question:

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs for each of the past three years (a) how many inmates go through divorce proceedings while in the Drug Rehabilitation Centres, or while undergoing incarceration under the Long-Term Imprisonment 1 and Long-Term Imprisonment 2 regimes respectively; (b) how many go through divorce proceedings within two years of release respectively; and (c) what is the recidivism rate of inmates who have undergone divorce during incarceration and following release respectively.

Answer:

1. The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) does not maintain records of inmates undergoing divorce proceedings, nor after they are released.

2. Regardless of marital status, inmates undergo programmes based on their risk of re-offending and their needs. These include family programmes to address transitional issues for inmates and their families, and to equip them with knowledge and skills that will help strengthen their relationships with each other. More than 4,000 inmates benefitted from family programmes in 2017. SPS aims to work with community partners to extend family programmes to more inmates.