Mi Choza De Nipa

Fish oil pills, rather than new and expensive gadgets, may hold the key to dealing with violent prisoners. Taking a cue from their counterparts in the United Kingdom , the prison authorities here are also studying the effects of fish oil on reducing violent behaviour in inmates. These studies, however, are at a preliminary stage. If implemented, the Singapore Prison Service will be the first to explore the impact of fish oil supplements, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acid , on violent behaviour in an Asian incarcerated population . In a pilot study of 231 prisoners published in 2002, a group of University of Oxford researchers found that violent incidents, while in custody, were cut by more than a third among those given the supplements. Overall, offences recorded by the prison authorities fell by a quarter. Costs of administering nutritional supplements were also as low as 0.2 per cent of costs of the total expenses spent on incarcerating these offenders. Leong Wee Keat ----- ...

LAW AND ORDER But recidivism rate of 25.1% in 2006 represents 'excellent result' when compared to other countries: Shanmugam ----- Leong Wee Keat, weekeat@mediacorp.com.sg RECIDIVISM, which measures the rate of ex-offenders returning to crime, climbed slightly for those released in 2006. One out of every four ex-offenders went back to crime within two years of their release. This increase marks the second consecutive year relapse rates have climbed: after falling from 31.2 per cent in 2002 to 23.7 per cent in 2004, re-offending rates climbed to 24.2 per cent and 25.1 per cent for the next two years. Still, the recidivism rate for 2006 represents "an excellent result", when compared with similar penal systems in other developed countries , said Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam yesterday. Calling it "unrealistic" to expect the recidivism rate to continuously decrease each year, Mr Shanmugam said the decreasing trend would oft...