Former inmate credits rehab programme for fresh start

A former inmate of the South Camp Adult Correctional Centre is crediting the Department of Correctional Services' structured rehabilitation programme for giving her new skills, renewed confidence, and a clear sense of purpose after incarceration.

Taneka Stewart-Blake, who spent nearly three years at the facility, says the education and training she received not only helped her cope emotionally, but also prepared her for a smooth transition back into society, ultimately leading to full-time employment after her release.

"There are a lot of courses there at South Camp and for the first part, going in wasn't nice. The feeling was really awful getting sentenced and being incarcerated," she said.

Speaking at the recent Planning Institute of Jamaica's Best Practice Symposium for Social and Community Development at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, Stewart-Blake shared her experience as part of the second day's focus on reintegration of persons who were previously in conflict with the law.

"For the first three months, I was really out of it, but then, I started to say, 'This is it; you have to accept it and you have to move on because you have to live.' I began to get myself involved, and so I went to school [in prison]," she said.

Although she already held Caribbean Examination Certificate passes, Stewart-Blake enrolled in additional subjects, including social studies, in which she earned a grade two. The achievement motivated her to pursue further training through programmes offered by HEART/NSTA Trust and other partners operating within the institution. She successfully completed courses in customer service, data entry, biology--earning an award as top student--and behavioural modification.

"After that, I felt really enthused," she said, smiling as she recounted the milestones that marked her personal growth while incarcerated.

According to Stewart-Blake, the practical skills she gained have proven invaluable in her current job.

"The data entry course is helping me now because I do inventory. When I'm stock-taking and entering information, that course really prepared me for that part of the work," she explained.

Equally important, she said, was the support she received upon returning home. Her family, community, church, and workplace welcomed her without judgement, helping to ease the emotional weight often associated with re-entry.

"People were excited to have me back. I didn't feel shunned or looked down on, and that was really emotional," she said. "Sometimes there's a stigma that once a prisoner, always a prisoner, but my community never allowed me to feel that way."

Stewart-Blake also credited prison church services for helping her remain grounded during difficult moments, as well as her mother, who cared for her young daughter throughout her incarceration.

While she chose not to disclose the offence that led to her imprisonment, Stewart-Blake urged others to remain on the right side of the law and encouraged incarcerated persons to embrace rehabilitation.

"It all starts with your mindset," she said. "If you end up there, you can still make a difference. The opportunity for change is there if you choose it."