Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie, Jakarta – More than 100 convicts who were released early in an effort to prevent the further transmission of COVID-19 in prisons are back to committing crimes, according to the National Police.
National Police spokesperson Ahmad Ramadhan said there had been reports of recidivism in several regions, including Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Yogyakarta, Banten, West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, South Kalimantan and North Sumatra.
"There were 13 cases of recidivism each in Central Java and North Sumatra and 11 in West Java," Ahmad said at a press conference on Tuesday. "Those three provinces recorded the highest number of repeat offenses from released prisoners."
In total, 106 repeat offenders have been reported.
The crimes committed by the convicts mostly consisted of robbery, vehicle theft, drug abuse and child sexual abuse.
As of Sunday, the Law and Human Rights Ministry has released more than 37,014 convicts and 2,259 child detainees under the COVID-19 assimilation and integration program, with the government planning to release a total of 50,000 prisoners.
Law and Human Rights Ministry's corrections directorate general Reinhard Silitonga said on Monday that the program has been successful in reducing overcrowding and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in correctional facilities, noting that only one confirmed COVID-19 case in prison had been recorded so far.