Government decides to release $9.31 million for education of prisoners

As part of the package of measures to try to deal with the crisis in the prison system, the federal government decided to inject $9.31 million in the project Começar de novo (Starting over, in an unofficial translation), created eight years ago by the National Council of Justice (CNJ) to provide professional reintegration of prisoners.

According to Labor Minister Ronaldo Nogueira, who met this morning (Jan. 18) with the chief justice of the Supreme Court (STF) and president of the National Justice Council (CNJ), Justice Cármen Lúcia, they aim to benefit 15,000 inmates with professional qualification.

A working group formed by technicians from the Ministry of Labor and the CNJ was created to map the market and identify which professional qualification training should be offered to prisoners. According to Nogueira, their intention is to officially form the partnership until February 10.

Through the Começar de novo project, state courts of justice conduct training operations and establish partnerships with companies aiming at the prisoners' professional reintegration.

CNJ data show that 16,622 job openings were created by the project since 2009, but only 11,828 were filled.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta