It was mentioned to the Commission that counselling officers in prisons such as ACP, ARP, MCP and WWC identify prisoners who require counselling at the orientation programme, while discussing the needs and conditions of the prisoners. The counselling officers stated they introduce themselves at the programme and identify individuals who might require psychological support. The counselling officer at ARP said that he does group counselling sessions for newly admitted prisoners in order to “make them feel that they are well received”. He further explained that he tries to mentally uplift them by saying that “anyone could be imprisoned” and explains “the legal and social factors, which led them to prison”. The Commission also found that the NDDCB provides a counselling officer to certain prisons, including ARP, who separates people who use drugs and talk to them about the dangers of drug abuse. During an interview held with the Commissioner of Prisons (Rehabilitation), he stated that the Prison Headquarters is planning to initiate a three- day orientation programme for first time offenders in every prison. 12. Exit procedure: discharge from prison Section 47 (1) of the PO88 states that the jailor is responsible for the discharge of prisoners on the correct date. The discharge date of each inmate is provided in their relevant dockets. The Prisons form furnished upon admission is cross checked to see if the details of the inmate to be released match the description on his form. Each prisoner entitled to release has to be, according to the PO, discharged from prison ‘on the date on which he becomes entitled to release’.89 Prisoners are generally released at noon after lunch.90 If the release date is a holiday, such as a Sunday or the days provided by Section 169 of the SRs 91 for the purposes of Section 47 (3) of the PO92, such as Christmas or Vesak day, the inmate is released on the previous date. The inmate would then collect his goods from storage. Section 364 of the DSO provides that when a prisoner is discharged from prison, the SP of the prison which is discharging the prisoner must inform the SP of the prison of first admission i.e. the prison at which the prisoner was first admitted. The prisoner’s sheet in the register of the latter will then be closed and an entry will be made in the ‘Remarks’ column as to the cause of discharge. As explained by the Commissioner of Prisons (Administrations/Intelligence and Security), the Prisoner’s Sheet in practice is a minute sheet that will be attached to the docket of a prisoner. Moreover, the SP of the prison from which the prisoner is being discharged shall return the committal to the court that issued it giving the date of discharge on the rear of the form.93 88 PO No. 16 of 1877, s 47 (1). ibid s 47 (3). 90 SRs 1956, s170, specifies that the Superintendent may authorize the inmate to be released at any earlier hour after the morning unlock. One exception is if the Commissioner approves an inmate may be released between the hours of lock-up and unlock. 91 ibid s 169. 92 PO No. 16 of 1877, s 47 (3). 93 DSO 1956, s 366. 89 67