According to Major Nguyễn Đình Dũng, Chief of Hội Sơn Commune Police (Anh Sơn, Nghệ An), there are 15 individuals who have completed their sentences and returned to the community eligible for loans under Decision 22/2023/QĐ-TTg (Decision 22) issued by the Prime Minister.
Based on criteria screening and loan demand, the commune police collaborated with local authorities and the Village Savings and Loan Groups to finalize loan applications for seven cases. Thanks to thorough vetting and evaluation, all seven loan applications were approved by the Anh Sơn District Branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, with each receiving 100 million VND.
“Individuals who complete their prison sentences, if unemployed or without income, tend to leave their place of residence, complicating management efforts and increasing risks of being drawn back into illegal activities. If given opportunities for employment, access to capital, and timely encouragement, they will be motivated to rebuild their lives,” said Major Nguyễn Đình Dũng.
All seven cases that received loans under Decision 22 in the commune have complied well with national policies, laws, and local regulations. Moreover, they have effectively utilized the loan funds, achieving initial stability, with some even progressing to become prosperous households, according to Major Nguyễn Đình Dũng.
During the monitoring of capital usage, local police regularly meet with and encourage returning individuals, building trust. Many have come to view the commune police as a “consultation channel” for economic development advice, sharing life challenges and social relationship issues.
Accompanying Major Dũng, we visited Mr. Trần Văn H.’s agroforestry model (a resident of Hội Sơn, Anh Sơn, Nghệ An), one of the seven beneficiaries of Decision 22 loans.
Mr. H. prefers not to dwell on his past, which includes two convictions. His conversation with the commune police chief revolves around the ongoing cassava harvest and the tractor he recently purchased.
“When I returned, some believed in me, others didn’t think I could start anew. But I was fortunate to have my family, neighbors, and the commune police encouraging and supporting me. Today, I’m proud of my economic achievements.
The preferential loan of 100 million VND allowed me to buy a tractor, boosting my farm production and generating extra income from plowing services for villagers. For me, this is more than just financial support—it’s trust from various levels of government that motivates me to succeed right here where I once erred,” shared Mr. H.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Hà Thị Hồng, Deputy Head of the Criminal Judgment Execution and Judicial Support Team of Anh Sơn District Police, by the end of 2024, the district had 487 individuals who completed their sentences within the last five years. Of these, 40 applied for preferential loans under Decision 22, with 36 receiving over 3.1 billion VND.
“Before Decision 22, those released from prison struggled to access loans. Thus, Decision 22 is groundbreaking and deeply humanitarian. The low-interest, long-term loans are truly a lifeline for many returnees.
What makes Decision 22 unique is that it doesn’t allow anyone—from police, local authorities, banks, to families—to stand aside from the mission of helping reintegrate individuals into society daily,” noted Lieutenant Colonel Hà Thị Hồng.
Sharing this perspective, Major Trương Xuân Luân, Deputy Head of the Criminal Judgment Execution and Judicial Support Team of Nghi Lộc District Police, praised the comprehensive and robust impact of Decision 22 on reintegration efforts in the district.
Statistics show that Nghi Lộc District has a relatively large number of ex-prisoners. In 2024 alone, the locality welcomed 168 parolees. Therefore, reintegration efforts, helping former offenders lead honest lives and stabilize economically, thereby preventing recidivism, weigh heavily on district and commune police forces.
Decision 22 not only quenches the thirst for capital among those who have strayed, enabling them to rebuild post-release, but also delivers tangible benefits for community reintegration.
“One more person improving means one less societal concern, ensuring security and maintaining peace,” concluded Major Luân.
According to Major Trương Xuân Luân, the number of people accessing loans under Decision 22 remains small compared to the total number of returnees under local management. Notably, only one business has received this preferential loan.
By regulation, businesses must employ 10% of their workforce from ex-prisoners meeting conditions and signing labor contracts to qualify for loans. While this encourages hiring ex-offenders, larger companies often struggle to meet the 10% quota.
Additionally, coordination between agencies, sectors, unions, and social organizations in encouraging businesses to hire ex-prisoners is limited. Consequently, few enterprises recruit ex-offenders, resulting in low participation in the preferential credit policy under Decision 22.
While acknowledging the humanitarian success of Decision 22, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyễn Văn Thuận, Deputy Chief of Anh Sơn District Police, noted that loan limits don’t meet most borrowers’ production needs.
“The maximum individual loan of 100 million VND barely suffices for small-scale ventures like family farms or petty trading, lacking the resources for larger market-driven operations,” explained Lieutenant Colonel Thuận.
Addressing this, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyễn Hữu Thịnh, Head of the Criminal Judgment Execution and Judicial Support Department of Nghệ An Provincial Police, stated that feedback from local police has been considered. The department is advising provincial police leadership to propose raising the loan limit above 100 million VND for effective users to better align with reality.
Furthermore, they suggest the government study and issue broader mechanisms for businesses hiring ex-offenders seeking loans (allowing larger loans based on employee numbers and business scale) to encourage and support their investment and production.
Given Nghệ An’s high number of returning ex-prisoners, future demand for loans is expected to rise. Nghệ An Provincial Police also propose that the Provincial People’s Committee and district committees supplement the government-allocated Social Policy Bank funds annually to assist more ex-prisoners in accessing loans for business and economic development.
Content: Hoàng Lam – Thanh Hòa
Design: Đức Bình
17/02/2025 – 09:53
Source link: https://dantri.com.vn/an-sinh/tai-sinh-tu-lam-loi-diem-tua-cho-nhung-cuoc-doi-vet-seo-20250204230527425.htm
