Vice State President Truong My Hoa has praised the wardens of the nation's prisons for their efforts to overcome difficulties to help prisoners get education, learn trades and understand laws.

At a working session on April 3 with the Prison and Rehabilitation Facilities Establishment Management Department (V26) of the Public Security Ministry, the vice president asked the V26 staff to strengthen political awareness and sharpen their professional skills to better supervise and educate the convicts.

The Department's head, Major Lieut. General Pham Duc Chan, reported to Vice President Hoa on the situation in the country's prisons and the implementation of amnesty.

He said between 2004-06, the President granted amnesty to over 41,600 prisoners and almost all of them have re-integrated in the community, with the proportion of relapsed criminals dropping from 0.44 percent in 2004-05 to 0.12 percent in 2006.

According to Chan, prisons' facilities have improved over the years, thus helping raise the efficiency in prisoners' re-education.

Chan also said two amnesties are likely to be granted in 2007, possibly in July and September.

Source: VNA