The story about the inmates of a high security prison in Brazil, finding reformation in crochet is a story of hope (“Inmates show off crochet creations in Brazil prison fashion show,” May 23, Gulf Today).

Prisons are known for punishment, and that’s the least that inmates need. Prisons should have been reformative, in whatever form - learning skills, educating oneself, exploring potentials, etc. While there are several stories about such reformative techniques such as inmates paintings being exhibited, such stories form a fraction of a percent of what actually happens in prisons and the miserable lives that prisoners lead. It is thus a good read.

It shows that seeing their work on the ramp in front of important people gives their confidence a boost. It’s a good initiative by the prison administration that the sentence of prisoners is cut by a day for 12 hours spent in the program.

Better still, crocheting is a creative art and creativity is always good. It is meditative in itself and mediation is reformative. It calms the mind and helps reflection.

That the prisoners are using this means to take the first steps into a new life - the example of an inmate who got released and used some of his crochet work to fund a driver’s license as a means of building a life and career is a good one.

J Dias
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