Alarming picture in ministry report: Recidivism rate of those released revealed

Details of the action plan prepared by the Ministry of Justice in line with the new penal system studies taken onto the agenda by the AKP and MHP have emerged.

It was stated that the prepared plan aims to make the balance between crime, sanction, and execution healthier and to reorganize criminal legislation in line with social expectations. The main goal of the study is cited as the rehabilitation of convicts, their reintegration into society, and the reduction of recidivism rates.

The action plan envisions expanding the scope of alternative sanctions to short-term prison sentences and increasing the effectiveness of these practices over a two-year period. The goal is to support the criminal justice system with different types of sanctions instead of sentences that restrict freedom.

NEW MODEL IN PROBATION

According to the report by Yücel Kayaoğlu from the pro-government newspaper Türkiye, the probation practice, which is sometimes confused with "amnesty" regulations by the public, is at the center of the new penal system. AKP sources emphasize that the regulations to be made do not constitute an amnesty and that the current probation structure will be reconsidered. In this context, while ensuring that convicts complete a portion of their sentences outside under certain rules, it is aimed to strengthen mechanisms that prevent re-offending.

"IF THOSE RELEASED VIOLATE PROBATION RULES, THEY WILL RECEIVE A HEAVIER SENTENCE"

In this context, it is planned to re-evaluate the fixed-rate probation practice and subject convicts to obligations appropriate to the nature of the crime they committed. Officials assess the situation by saying, "Someone who receives a 20-year sentence should not spend 20 years inside. If they are going to follow the rules, they can complete a portion of the sentence outside under probation conditions. Those who go out will know that if they violate the probation rules, they will receive a heavier sentence."

45 PERCENT RATE OF RECIDIVISM

Ministry of Justice sources point out that the rate of re-offending after release from prison hovers around 40-45 percent worldwide. While it is stated that a similar picture exists in Turkey, it is noted that this is not just a judicial problem. Ministry officials state, "After committing a crime, it becomes even easier to commit a crime. This threshold is a psychological threshold. Therefore, the execution regime needs to be reconsidered with all its systems. This is not a job that the Ministry of Justice can do alone. The family, society, and the state must all tackle this issue together."

Officials also share the following assessment:

"The main purpose of the execution regime is to reintegrate the criminal into society and to rehabilitate them. However, despite this, approximately 40-45 percent of those who leave prison return to prison all over the world. After committing a crime, it becomes even easier to commit a crime. This threshold is a psychological threshold. This number is also around 45 percent in Turkey. It is a terrifying figure. Therefore, the execution regime needs to be reconsidered with all its systems. This is not a job that the Ministry of Justice can do alone. The family, society, and the state must all tackle this issue together."