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Summary Mexico City launched a sport rehabilitation programme for prison inmates to promote a bright future.
A sport rehabilitation programme in Mexico City prisons initiated by the local government is starting to pay dividends. Some former inmates from the programme are now living a crime-free life through involvement in sport.The programme is meant to rehabilitate convicts by giving them life skills to use once they are out of prison so that they stay away from crime and fit back into the community.Activities include mostly sports like boxing, soccer, and volleyball.The programme also places special emphasis on team sports in order to improve harmony among inmates.The advantage of doing sport is that they are able to socialise. If you notice, the sports on offer here are basically team sports. They become team-mates in sporting activities and not just cell-mates. They also take part in cultural events, physical education teacher Noel Vivas said.For inmates whove been found guilty of minor crimes, being part of the programme also helps to reduce their sentences.They are then offered jobs as sports promoters or P.E. instructors with a salary between $4,000 and $8,000 pesos (about $300 and $600 U.S. dollars) per month, once they complete their sentences.About 1,500 inmates take part in the programme and according to authorities, 200 have already become sport promoters.I think its a beautiful project we are building today for inmates here at prison so that they are able to take up a sport and to face life with more creativity and (develop) life projects, also for recreation purposes in order to escape from bad habits because we are in a place where we have everything and with Gods help to be able to pull through, said inmate, Daniel Vazquez, who is planning to set-up a boxing academy in his neighbourhood once he leaves prison.Inmates are also introduced to volleyball and given motivational talks. There is also music, dance and drama as well as business entrepreneurship skills.Government sports co-ordinator Gerardo Silva said the programme aimed to inspire convicts to teach sport to youngsters in order to help them stay on the straight and narrow.What we want is that once they leave, they are able to carry out sports activities learnt here or maybe others learnt outside. Also that they are able to promote sports with society and people they live with in their neighbourhoods or wherever they are and to promote the benefits they learnt here, he said.Mexico City has the largest number of convicts in the country, with more than 45,000.Prisons around the country, especially in the north, are plagued by overcrowding, corruption and mass escapes.
