Brazil expands professional training and employment programs for inmates

Judicial and administrative institutions in Brazil are launching initiatives to improve the professional qualification and social reintegration of incarcerated individuals in the states of Mato Grosso and Bahia.

In Mato Grosso, the Regional Labor Court (TRT-23) hosted a session to encourage the business sector to participate in employment programs within the prison system. Officials noted that prejudice remains a significant barrier to hiring former inmates. The initiative aligns with the National Council of Justice (CNJ) 'Plano Pena Justa', which aims for at least 70% of eligible inmates to be employed within prisons by 2028.

In Bahia, a technical cooperation agreement was signed between the Court of Justice (TJBA), the Public Defender's Office, the Secretariat of Penitentiary Administration and Resocialization (SEAP), and Senai. The 'Liberdade em Curso' project will provide technical training through Senai alongside citizenship education modules covering topics such as family law and domestic violence prevention. These programs are designed to prepare inmates for the labor market and facilitate their return to society.