Give blood and get out quicker

JAKARTA (JP): Give your blood and get out quicker. Give up one of your organs and you're off even faster. That's the message given to inmates serving time at a Semarang prison.

The Kedungpane Correctional Institution in the Central Java capital has introduced an incentive scheme for inmates to obtain annual remissions, the Antara news agency reported.

Regular visits to the blood donor center during one year could reduce an inmate's sentence up to six months. A total of 101 routine visits during 12 months is worth six months.

One organ donated is worth another six months, Antara quoted the institution's head Marsono as saying.

Marsono said that donation is done voluntarily.

He added those serving life terms do not qualify for the scheme.

These remissions are offered in addition to the sentence reductions inmates are entitled to for good behavior. One year of good behavior is worth one month, and the amount of annual remissions increases with each year of good conduct.

According to Marsono, some 92 Kedungpane inmates will receive remissions ranging from one to six months for good conduct and 14 others have been recommended for remissions for regularly donating blood.

Remissions are granted to people serving time nationwide on the Aug. 17, Independence Day.

Eight inmates of Kedungpane will walk free on that day, thanks to the remissions they have collected, according to Marsono. (emb)