The International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA) is an association of about 2100 people from all over the world. We work for the spiritual, social and physical care of people in conflict with the law. IPCA’s mission is to unite, encourage, and equip a global network of jail and prison chaplains to foster God’s love and restoring justice in correctional systems around the world. We are committed to creating peace and justice. We believe that all countries should follow the United Nations standards for penal systems.

 

IPCA’s steering committee of representatives from its six regions – Asia, Oceania, Latin American/Caribbean, Europe, Africa and North America - held its annual meeting November 24-29, 2008 at the historic Manila Hotel in Manila, Philippines. Attendees included: Rev. Birgitta Winberg of Sweden, IPCA President; Rev. Dwight Cuff of Canada, Vice President and Representative of North America; Rev. Doris Bernhardson, Project Manager of IPCA; Rev. David Major of New Zealand, Oceania’s Representative; Msgr. Malachy Keegan of United Kingdom, Europe’s Representative; Rev. Samuel Novoa of El Salvador, Latin America’s Representative; Rev. Hennie Human of South Africa, African Region Representative, Rodolfo D. Diamante, Executive Secretary of CBCP-ECPPC, Asia’s Representative; Peter Echtermeyer of Germany, International Commission of Catholic Prison Pastoral Care Representative; Fr. Johan Linden of Sweden, IPCA President of Sweden and adviser to the President; Tom O’Connor, Ph.D., Senior Chaplain for Oregon Department of Corrections, U.S.A.; Bro. Kieran Garvey of New Zealand and Ms. Anne Marie Norén Offerman of the Prison and Probation Service Head office of Sweden. The steering committee engaged in the following activities:

 

 

 

 

1.      OnCBCP Advocacies for Jail and Prison Reforms, His Excellency Most Rev. Pedro D. Arigo, D.D., Chair, CBCP-ECPPC;

 

 

 

 

The IPCA steering committee sought, through these activities, to further develop its work of sharing God’s love, being bearers of hope and giving voice to the voiceless. Our meeting in Manila united, encouraged and equipped us with tremendous insights from practitioners who are meeting basic human needs, increasing community engagement, fostering the human and religious rights of prisoners, giving pastoral care and developing restorative justice in correctional systems around the world. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After engaging with the people, groups, and institutions of the Philippine correctional system the committee has the following observations to make.

 

-          Despite severe under funding the staffs of the jail system are making great efforts to improve their system and make it transparent. The abject and degrading jail conditions, however, make inmates lose their dignity as human beings and jeopardize their opportunity to become better persons and productive members of the human society. The Philippine jails and prisons are often congested and overcrowded and so are not able to provide the basic services that prisoners are entitled to.

 

-          There is a critical shortage of correctional employees and increased staffing is necessary. The ratio of one correctional employee to supervise 56 prisoners cannot provide public safety and prisoner rehabilitation.

 

-          The course of justice is taking too long as many people are in jail awaiting trial for several years. This contributes to congestion, overcrowding and causes injustice. Justice delayed is justice denied.   

 

-          There is a grave lack of facilities and services to prisoners with special needs such as those who are mentally ill, handicapped, children, or sick.

 

-          There is a great need to increase the number and quality of rehabilitation and treatment programs that will reduce repeat crime and ensure there are fewer victims. 

 

Despite the bleak despair and darkness, faith, hope and compassion continue to kindle in the lives of prisoners and their families, in prison chaplains and volunteers, and in correctional staff. Together we soar above the degrading conditions, and challenge all despair. We commit ourselves to prison work and study and to the creation of a system of Restorative Justice. The CBCP-ECPPC chaplains and volunteers in coordination with some jail officers offer various services through their Integrated Prison Pastoral Care Program that support and nurture the prisoners’ faith, respond to their material needs and provide assistance to safeguard their fundamental rights and dignity;

 

The IPCA Steering Committee urges the following actions by the Philippine government.

 

Executive:

Ø      Review the guidelines for granting of executive clemency,                    

Ø      Vigilantly enforce international laws promoting the interest and welfare of prisoners, especially of treaties and similar agreements here the Philippines is a signatory

Ø      Maintain strict compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child especially with regard to matters concerning children in conflict with the law

 

 

 

                      Legislative:

Ø      Pass bills to decongest the jails.

Ø      Enact bills to promote prison reforms such as increased budget for food, upkeep and maintenance of service facilities, and more humane treatment of prisoners; and the elimination of torture.

Ø      Adopt he principles and practices of laws in the light of implementing a humane, egalitarian, and community-oriented justice that heals and seek alternatives to imprisonment

 

Ø      Institute a pubic monitoring system to trace the development and movement of hearings to promote speedy trials

Ø      Strict implementation of the rules governing the handling of cases

Ø      Immediately fill all vacancies in the courts

Ø      Expedite the disposition of cases by giving priorities to those who have been in detention for a long time