INTRODUCTION

      Crimes against persons, such as murder, homicide, parricide, continue to dominate the offense profile, accounts for 50% of the cases of national prisoners.

      17 persons were executed by hanging after world war 2, and 84 thru electric chair from 1924 to 1976. NBP is also the designated facility for death sentenced prisoners, the site of the Lethal Injection Chamber. Following the re-imposition of Death Penalty in 1994, 7 death convicts were so far executed by lethal injection. At present there are more than a thousand death convicts awaiting their execution.

      A majority of inmates confined in national prison did not finish secondary education while nearly 6% never went to school or were illiterate. Only 3% earned a college degree.

      It was felt that the first step in our rehabilitation effort is to provide the basic needs of inmate as human being. The other steps in the rehabilitation process are the provision of work programs, health care, education and skills training, recreation and sports, religious guidance and behavior modification using the therapeutic community approach.

PROGRAMS OF THE BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS

      One of the primordial mandates of the Bureau of Corrections is the effective rehabilitation of prisoners; thus, various programs are in place to address the rehabilitation aspect in corrections.

      The term "rehabilitation" entered the official jargon of corrections in the country in 1955. This was when the Geneva Convention introduced the United Nations Standards on the Treatment of Prisoners to which the country is a signatory. Considered a breakthrough in protecting the rights of the incarcerated or those under the custody of law, rehabilitation has become the principal goal of corrections. Rehabilitation was first applied in medical practice. It came from the Latin word “habilis” -- literally, fit or suitable. Its meaning was expanded to mean “to restore to sound operation” or “to reestablish the good reputation” (Bantam, 1991).

      Rehabilitation in correctional work is done through a combination of programs that involves spiritual activities, educational courses (formal and informal), medical and hygienic practices, cultural and recreational activities, productive work, counseling, therapeutic and disciplinary measures. After the basic needs of an inmate are met, the formal rehabilitation process involves the following institutionalized programs: Inmate Work program, health care, education and skills training, recreation and sports, religious guidance and behavior modification using the therapeutic community approach.