State Minister of Justice and Prison Affairs Anuradha Jayaratne said that the Rehabilitation Act will be amended so that any person can go to a rehabilitation centre voluntarily and access its services without having to go to court.
He said that the relevant amendments will be presented on January 19.
The State Minister stated this while speaking to the media after an inspection tour of the Pallekele open prison.
Jayaratne said that currently, according to the Rehabilitation Act, a person is referred for rehabilitation according to a court order and after the Act is amended on January 19, the background will be set for any person to voluntarily enter a rehabilitation centre after making the relevant payments. The first such rehabilitation centre will be established in Gampola. Jayaratne said that after drafting the relevant amendments, it has been forwarded to the Judicial Service Commission to get the necessary recommendations. He said that 65 percent of the total people who are currently in prison have been charged with drug-related offences and it has been effectively proven that by keeping them in prison for three to six months, they will not be rehabilitated.
He said treatment and rehabilitation was the correct way when dealing with drug addicts.
Jayaratne said that it is more important to rehabilitate them to be good citizens with professional knowledge than to imprison them.
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