MELAKA: The Prisons Department needs to place around 100 psychology officers at the country’s 38 prisons to offer advice, support and therapy for inmates.
Prisons Department director Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar said the department had 45 psychology officers on top of the services of more than 100 counselors since 2011.
However, he said this was not enough to help thousands of prison inmates who needed psychological help and support.
He said apart from adding more psychology officers, the department has also appealed to the Public Services Department to have psychiatric services for inmates.
“Some inmates are non-verbal but with the help of psychiatry and psychology officers, it may help them unravel their problems and overcome depression. They can then lead a higher quality of life.
“The art therapy medium which has been introduced to inmates nationwide has become a psychology-based recovery programme which utilises art mediums such as painting, music, songket-weaving and other skills,” he said at the Prisons Department of Malaysia Inmates Art Therapy Exhibition, which was officiated by the Melaka Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Tun Dr Mohd Khalil Yaakob, at the Muzium Penjara, Bandar Hilir, here today.
More than 200 artworks created by inmates nationwide were displayed at the exhibition.