A short documentary film “Second Chance” by author Marina Kovačević talks about the process of reintegration of prisoners and the support they need from the entire system in order to become active and functional members of the community.
The film “Second Chance” brings personal stories of former prisoners and their testimonies on the importance of the support of the system and society, as well as the experiences of those who guided and directed the convicts through the process.
One of the key factors that has proved to be decisive for successful reintegration is the employment of former convicts after serving the sentence.
Through active participation in the labor market, former convicts get a second chance and the opportunity to start their life again and in a different way, after they have “paid off” their debt to society.
Employment not only impact successful reintegration process, but it also reduces the percentage of those returning to prison due to repeated crimes.
The film is part of the Project “Improving Capacities of the Prison Administration in the area of Alternative Sanctions, Post Penal care and Penal healthcare in Serbia”.
During 36 months, with the support of the EU, more than 140 persons were trained for the execution of criminal sanctions in Serbia.
The EU allocated EUR 1.44 million for the project, and the main objective is to contribute to the protection of the basic human rights of persons who are serving criminal sanctions.
During the 32 months, the support focused on prison sanctions, as well as on the problems of those who were released.
Together with the Administration, the project worked on raising awareness of the importance of employment of former convicts in order to reduce their chances of returning to crime.
