In the dim, sterile confines of a prison visiting room, 17-year-old Lauren Chan hands Clara* a sketchbook, their fingers brushing through the divider. Their unlikely friendship, forged through art, stands in contrast to the harsh realities of their surroundings, challenging the stereotypes of prisoners in Hong Kong.
“I’m always super happy after I go visit [Clara]. She’s the nicest person ever,” Lauren said.
Lauren met Clara, who is in her twenties, while interning with a Hong Kong-based NGO called Voice for Prisoners. Lauren attends school in the United States, but she sees Clara about once a week when she visits Hong Kong during school breaks.
Challenging prejudices
Lauren describes herself as a “sheltered kid”, noting that she was unaware of life beyond her “bubble” at school and home. It was only when she began taking law classes that she started to learn about incarcerated individuals.
Her research led her to Voice for Prisoners, an organisation that assists people imprisoned for drug trafficking – a crime that can result in life in prison and a fine of up to HK$5 million.
The NGO helps inmates cope with challenges in prison by supporting them through educational programmes and visitations. Many of those receiving assistance from Voice for Prisoners are foreign nationals.
Jane Chow, who has worked at Voice for Prisoners for about three years, explained that “vulnerable” individuals are often manipulated into drug trafficking.
“Oftentimes, they’re tricked ... [by] a good job. ‘I’m going to fly you to Hong Kong, all expenses paid. You’re going to bring this for me. It’s very easy,’” she said.
Deep Dive: Hong Kong’s fight against ‘space oil’
After reaching out to the NGO, Lauren was assigned to visit Clara, who, along with her partner, has been in prison since last year. Clara and her partner faced devastation due to a war in their home country, which left them struggling to support their child. In a moment of desperation, they turned to drug trafficking and were arrested in Hong Kong. The couple has pleaded guilty and is now awaiting sentencing.
Lauren challenged the stigma around prisoners.
“People become incarcerated not necessarily out of them making a decision of their own free will ... They often lack other means of income, which leads them into these narcotic smuggling crimes,” she said.
When Lauren attempted to invite formerly incarcerated people to her school in the US for a speaking event, the administrators expressed concerns.
“I realised that there’s a much bigger issue with actually how the prisoners get treated ... rather than the nature of the prisoners,” Lauren said.
Compassion over judgment
Anna Smirnova, a 21-year-old who recently graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong with a degree in psychology, also joined Voice for Prisoners.
Originally from Russia, Smirnova was also assigned to visit Clara, as she was able to communicate with her in their shared language. She also visited Clara’s partner at a different prison and interacted with another prisoner.
Though Smirnova recognised that any involvement with drugs was “a very serious offence”, she was surprised by how easy it was to connect with the prisoners.
“But we actually became good friends, and we have a lot to talk about,” she said.
Smirnova observed that while the prison provides adequate supplies and a clean environment, as a foreign prisoner, Clara is allowed only one phone call home per month, while local prisoners have more frequent access to phone calls. All prisoners are allowed two visits per month, as well as two visits from family, but Clara, like many foreign inmates, has no relatives in Hong Kong.
“I definitely hear a lot of complaints about how depressed they are,” Smirnova said.
Inspired by this experience, Smirnova focused her thesis on assessing depression and anxiety among former prisoners in Hong Kong.
“We contacted the ex-prisoners who have been released already, and we asked about some unmet needs they had in prison and also how it affected their mood, both in the past and in the present,” she said.
Learning opportunities for prisoners
Despite their circumstances, Clara and her partner discuss self-growth and are exploring the possibility of earning bachelor’s degrees while in prison. Chow explained that prisoners need a passion for learning and a sponsor to support their educational endeavours.
The Correctional Services Department of the Hong Kong government has an Educational Trust Fund that sponsors the majority of inmates enrolled in educational courses and vocational training.
Chow emphasised that even after their release, Clara and her partner will face additional challenges.
“They will be deported to their home country by the Hong Kong government. Finding employment can be challenging for some due to their criminal records,” she said.
This shows the importance of Voice for Prisoners’ education campaign: it gives former inmates skills to help them find work so that they do not turn back to crime.
Chow added: “Education is one of the most effective ways to rehabilitate inmates and reduce recidivism.”
Hong Kong gets first full-time college for adult prisoners
Voice for Prisoners collaborates with four educational institutions in Hong Kong to provide short vocational courses for prisoners.
However, student inmates still face challenges, such as a lack of access to the internet and computers, as well as limited in-person teaching opportunities.
Additionally, inmates are required to pay the same tuition fees as non-incarcerated students, who have access to more resources.
“Despite these obstacles, inmates strictly adhere to institutional rules and put in tremendous effort to earn their degrees,” Chow added.
“This initiative has fostered a stronger educational culture within prisons and significantly increased inmates’ enthusiasm for learning, giving them hope for a brighter future.”
*Name changed at the request of Voice for Prisoners.
-
Stop and think: In what ways can empathy break down the stereotypes we hold about people?
-
Why this story matters: The transformative power of empathy and human connection is essential in challenging societal stereotypes regarding incarcerated individuals, emphasising that many are victims of circumstance rather than choice.
