49 inmates graduate from drug rehab programme

On Sunday morning prison officials celebrated the first graduation from the newly established Michael Ashcroft Rehabilitation Centre. Of the fifty-two people that signed up, forty-nine inmates successfully completed the programme, which had been adapted from a Mexican initiative. According to class valedictorian Miguel Urbina, treating drug addiction is a significant factor in the rehabilitation process.

Miguel Urbina, Jr., Valedictorian
?Together let?s make the world a better place. Let?s make our society a home and not a battlefield. Let?s help people to live and not just to exist. We can do it. Thanks for your help so far. I can say with gratitude that you have helped me; you have helped us. We take it as no small treat, but there are other brothers and sisters beside us in these walls, and those no doubt who will soon be here too, please help wash them clean also.?

John Woods, Chair, Kolbe Foundation
?This thing has been ninety days intense, twenty-four/seven. The big point I want to make today is that the people that you see here before you are not the same people that committed the crime. They are not the same people that entered this prison. They are a whole new beginning, and we need these people. These people have got a better outlook on life than anybody else. The whole prison has changed so when someone comes in here and tries to create ruction the guys say, listen we don?t behave that way in here. We try to treat one another like we are family, we are brothers and we care for one another, and it really works. It?s not like we have had a tremendous increase in guards or anything like that, but it?s the whole spirit of the place is just counterproductive to any type of ruction in here.?

In addition to funding from Michael Ashcroft, the rehabilitation facility is also supported by the United States Embassy.