The magazine ‘21’ dedicated a report in its May issue to something new that is taking place in Jerez - prisoners being welcomed into the sscc community. As part of the process of reeducating prisoners, a scheme has been set up that allows ‘second grade’ prisoners to receive permits allowing them to leave prison to be closer to the society to which they will soon return. These permits - approved by prison legislation - serve as an instrument to help the prisoner prepare for his life in freedom and facilitate his reintegration into society. However, there are many inmates who are unable to benefit from them because they cannot find neither a place to stay, nor people to receive them.
Curro Cruz, sscc tells us that "awareness of this reality in the prison of Puerto de Santa María has made us realize that there is a great need that is not being met. There are inmates who can not leave the prison, for the simple reason that they cannot find someone to welcome them. Sometimes their family lives far away, in other cases they are not ready for such an experience, or it may be that it is not convenient. Of course there are also people who are alone ".
The permit is a prison benefit that may be granted if a prisoner requests it - though without a place to receive him, it will be impossible for the permit to be granted. "The permits help the inmates to return to a life of freedom and provides an opportunity to see how he will cope outside of prison. The next stage, the third grade, involves conditional freedom. However, if the inmate does not have access to the permits, it is impossible to progress in the prison system from one stage to another”, confirms Curro.
Responding to this need at the beginning of 2017, the Congregation and the community of religious in Jerez decide to make this “welcoming” project a reality. They do not receive any help. They are not an NGO, a social centre or any other institution with these characteristics. They are a community of religious who one day decided to share their space, lose their privacy and adjust their agendas and lives to give the possibility to different prisoners to access prison permits.
Currently the community of brothers in Jerez de la Frontera consists of three religious and all three collaborate with the project, which they understand as a life option: Luis, Curro and Jorge share their time so that it does not become a impediment to the reception. They live in an apartment.
Curro has made it clear: "Welcoming inmates at home does presuppose an expropriation of my person. It allows me to come closer to Christ who loves risking and surrendering his life." Hopefully this community serves as an example of self-giving to the poorest of the poor, to those who are unable to enjoy their own freedom.”
05/06/2019