3 Correctional guidance

  In penal institutions, guidance for reform and guidance in school courses which mainly constitute correctional treatment are provided, while making inmates engage in work. In addition to these forms of guidance, guidance upon commencement of execution of sentence and guidance prior to release are provided, and the four forms of guidance are collectively called correctional guidance.
(1) Guidance for reform
  Guidance for reform is guidance aiming to make sentenced inmates aware of their responsibility for offenses they committed, foster their sound mind and body, and train them to acquire knowledge and attitudes necessary to adapt to social life. There are general guidance for reform and special guidance for reform.
  General guidance for reform is provided by way of lectures, gymnastics, events, interviews, consultation and advice, and other methods, aiming to (1) prompt them to understand victims' feelings and have a sense of guilt, (2) prompt them to keep regular hours and have a sound way of thinking, and thereby promote their mental and physical good health, and (3) prompt them to be prepared for designing their own life and returning to society and to acquire skills necessary to adapt to society, and do others.
  Special guidance for reform is provided for sentenced inmates who are considered to have difficulties in the course of reform and rehabilitation or smooth reintegration into society due to certain circumstances, such as drug dependency or being a Boryokudan member.
  The following six types are carried out as special rehabilitation guidance: “guidance for overcoming drug addiction” (prompting inmates to think about specific methods of not using drugs again after making them understand their own problems concerning drug use, etc. ), “guidance for withdrawal from Boryokudan” (providing guidance, etc. which prompt inmates to realize the anti-social side of Boryokudan under the collaboration with the police, and aiming to foster the will to break away from such groups), “re-offending prevention for sex offenders” (prompting inmates to realize their own problems which lead to a sexual offense, and prompting them to learn specific methods of not committing a repeat offense, etc.), “education from the victims' viewpoints” (prompting inmates to realize the seriousness of their offense and the feelings of victims, etc., and prompting them to think about how to sincerely deal with them, etc.), “traffic safety guidance” (prompting inmates to be aware of the responsibility and obligation of a driver, and prompting them to realize the seriousness of their offense, etc.), and “job assistance guidance” (aiming to make inmates learn basic skills and manners necessary for working life, and making specific efforts toward employment after release, etc.)
  In FY2007, among the penal institutions (including rehabilitation program centers) across the nation, the institutions that carry out special guidance are as follows: 1) “guidance for overcoming drug addiction” in 74 institutions, 2) “guidance for withdrawal from Boryokudan” in 35 institutions, 3) “re-offending prevention for sex offenders” in 20 institutions, 4) “education from the victims' viewpoints” in 75 institutions, 5) “traffic safety guidance” in 48 institutions, and 6) “job assistance guidance” in 44 institutions.
(2) Guidance in school courses
  Guidance in school courses is guidance equivalent to school education and is provided for sentenced inmates who are considered to have difficulties in the course of reform and rehabilitation or smooth reintegration into society due to lack of academic ability necessary as a basis of social life, and for inmates for whom the improvement of academic ability is particularly considered to contribute to their smooth reintegration into society.
  Since FY2007 the High School Equivalency Examination (former University Entrance Qualification Examination) has been conducted at penal institutions in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. 80 inmates took the first examination made available in the same FY, with 22 passing the Equivalency Examination and 57 at least one subject. 88 inmates took the second examination in the same FY, with 13 passing the Equivalency Examination and 73 at least one subject (Source: The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology).
(3) Guidance upon commencement of execution of sentence
  Guidance upon commencement of execution of sentence is provided for newly admitted inmates to prompt them to understand the meaning of serving a sentence, individual treatment goals to be specified in the treatment guideline and how to achieve those goals, and rules for life in penal institutions. The term for the guidance is two weeks in principle.
(4) Guidance prior to release
  The sentenced inmates who are about to be released are provided with guidance for two weeks in principle, concerning knowledge that becomes necessary immediately in social life after release. They are given knowledge on employment after release, social security system and its application procedure, and rehabilitation services, such as the probationary supervision system by way of lectures, personal interviews, and other methods. In addition, they may be granted, as needed, a chance to experience daily life quite similar to ordinary social life, or actually experience life, labor, and social service activities in the ordinary society.