Mato Grosso launches Semear prison rehabilitation program

The first working meeting of the Semear program – the State System of Methods for Penal Execution and Social Adaptation of the Released – was held on Friday at the Public Prosecutor's Office in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso. Participants included representatives of the Mato Grosso Public Ministry, the State Court of Justice, the State Secretariat of Justice (Sejus) and the non‑governmental organization Instituto Ação pela Paz. The meeting introduced the initiative, which adapts the successful São Paulo model that achieved an 82.5% recidivism reduction, and outlined plans to create local indicators for tracking prisoner reintegration.

Prosecutor Josane Guariente said, "Hoje nós temos um momento histórico, a primeira reunião do Programa Semear Mato Grosso," emphasizing the broad institutional partnership. Director Solange Senese highlighted the model’s effectiveness, and pedagogue Alcedina Alves noted the launch of two pilot projects in the Nova Xavantina and Barra do Bugres prisons, focusing on education, psychosocial support and cultural activities. The program’s methodology follows five stages: planning, analysis and approval, pre‑execution, execution and results evaluation, with continuous monitoring by the Operational Support Center.