By Teh Joo Lin

FISH oil may be making its way into the diet of inmates here under a study to test a theory that it reduces violent behaviour.

The Singapore Prisons is exploring the feasibility of such a project, after a British study found that fish oil supplements slashed violent behaviour in youth.

If it goes ahead, Singapore will be the first country to study the effects of the oil on violence on an incarcerated Asian population.

The premise is seductive. It suggests that the pills - which are rich in fatty acids - can be a cheap and humane way to promote good behaviour.

In the British study published in 2002, young offenders who took the capsules at a prison in Aylesbury committed 37 per cent fewer violent crimes compared to those who took a placebo.

Since then, similar studies have commenced in the United States and Holland, according to news reports abroad.

The idea is yet another initiative in the Singapore Prisons' ongoing efforts to improve prisoner management.

Consultant psychiatrist Adrian Wang cautioned against expecting too much, though there are studies linking mood to fish oil - which has been used to treat mental illnesses like depression and bipolar disorder.

'But in those studies, they found the amount of fish oil they've to take is very, very large. You'll be burping fish,' he said, adding that results are still inconclusive.

'So it may work for some but not for others, and there are better treatments out there. But no harm trying it as a supplement.'

While the supplements hold the promise of rehabilitation, outbreaks of violence in prisons here are uncommon.

In 2007, there were about 22 major assaults for every 10,000 prisoners - in a population of about 11,000.

The fish oil plan was revealed during an annual seminar for officers from the Prisons and Score - the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises - at the Singapore Expo yesterday.

In his speech, Second Home Affairs Minister and Law Minister K. Shanmugam told the officers to brace themselves for a 'potential rise' in inmate population because of the recession, which has been linked to a rise in some crimes.

The shrinking economy may mean fewer jobs for newly released inmates.

Without employment, they may find it harder to reintegrate into the community and stay on the straight and narrow.

He said: 'Prisons and Score must stand prepared and ready to cope with the potential increase...even as you find new and better ways to manage the existing inmates.'

He also told the officers they would need new skills if new sentencing options allowing offenders to serve time outside prison walls come to pass.

These community-based options - part of changes proposed to the Criminal Procedure Code - were made public last December for feedback.

One option under review is the Short Detention Order.

This puts low-risk, first-time offenders in jail for just a week. The 'clang of the prison gates' is supposed to deter them from re-offending without removing them from their families and jobs.

The minister also revealed the latest recidivism rates. In 2006, 25.1 per cent of freed prisoners were back behind bars within two years, slightly higher than the 24.2 figure for the 2005 cohort.

Noting that the decreasing trend over the years - the rate was 31.2 per cent for the 2002 batch - may be 'bottoming out', Mr Shanmugam said that it was 'unrealistic' to expect it to drop year after year.

The rate could have been higher without the efforts of Prisons and Score, which have helped many former inmates find jobs.

During the Yellow Ribbon Project month last year, they got 133 employers to sign up to hire ex-offenders, more than the 79 in 2007.

Mr Shanmugam said that he recently hired a mover that he knew was staffed by former inmates - and came away impressed.

'I found them to be very nice, very hardworking,' he said.

joolin@sph.com.sg

What's on the cards

• Ward expansion

The secured ward at Changi General Hospital for sick inmates will be expanded.

• Anti-gang measures

The Prisons will strengthen its anti-gang measures with an education programme for inmates. This will also help officers develop early intervention tools.

• Robot patrols

Autonomous vehicles equipped with sensors and cameras that can patrol the grounds are being studied for use in the future. Moving on tracks or wheels, the vehicles can even fire non-lethal weapons.

• Unmanned guard towers

An advanced network of sensors and cameras that can detect and track intruders or escapees is being explored. These devices can be mounted onto existing towers along the perimeter of the prison complex.

• Inmate tracking

In future, inmates who are on home detention or work release may have to carry Global Positioning System (GPS) units as well as the present electronic tags. The GPS units will give information on exactly where they  are. Officers are also studying if inmates inside prisons should be tagged to monitor their movements.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.