Progress in reintegrating prisoners into working life

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Published: January 7, 2026

How can prisoners be successfully reintegrated into working life after serving their sentences? German and Algerian experts addressed this question at a workshop with the Algerian prison authorities in Algiers. The participating speakers were unanimous in their view that the reintegration of former prisoners into working life, including preparation for release and transition management, based on the principles of the rule of law can significantly reduce the recidivism rate. In this context, the generally high recidivism rate among drug addicts in both countries and the need for social education and psychological services were also discussed.

Several years ago, IRZ carried out a successful tandem project with the Algerian prison authorities, which developed several manuals on the prison system in working groups. These manuals on admission procedures, individual rehabilitation plans for prisoners, and the training of prison staff are already being put into practice in the Algerian prison system. Of course, they were also used in this event and will be further developed as needed.

In addition to the legal basis for reintegration, the workshop focused on cooperation with external actors such as placement agencies, state employment offices, and industrial and agricultural enterprises. Algerian experts reported an increase in the number of vocational training courses completed in a dual training system in various workshops (carpentry, blacksmithing, textiles, printing, recycling/waste management). Of particular interest to the Algerian side were the targeted partnerships with industrial companies in the automotive industry mentioned by Kai Abraham, head of the women's prison in Berlin, which carry out some of their manufacturing processes directly in German prisons.

Finally, the German experts were given a practical insight into the El Kolaiya prison, located approximately 80 km from Algiers, where an employment agency conducted job application training and representatives of the forestry industry informed prisoners, in some cases in individual discussions, about the possibilities of microcredit for small businesses in forestry and beekeeping.

The German experts agreed that since the start of consultations on the prison system in Algeria, progress has been made in further professionalizing support measures for the reintegration of prisoners, and that processes have become more transparent overall and increasingly aligned with the principles of the rule of law.