“This will be a significant care program to be provided by the correction homes to the inmates. It will directly contribute to the rehabilitation of prisoners,” he said.

Under the current practices, prisoners have the right to regular visitations twice a week by their relatives and friends. They are also allowed to send and receive messages, make direct telephone calls, listen to radios, watch TV and read newspapers and magazines to keep abreast of what is happening outside.

“Constant contact with the outside world will mitigate the adverse effect of the prison’s culture on the inmates,” the source said.

The current system of Saudi prisons allow a prisoner to spend 24 hours with his family when he serves half of his prison term if it is not less than a year and if he is well behaved. Married prisoners who spend more than three months in prison will be allowed conjugal visits with their wives for three hours once a month. Special buildings were established in prisons for this purpose. If he is married to more than one wife, the prisoner will have two to four conjugal visits a month. If the prisoner is serving his prison term in his own city, he may be given 24 hours to go out to visit his family. This is increased to 72 hours to prisoners serving terms outside their own cities and towns.

There were a total of 11,978 prisoners all over the Kingdom who enjoyed seclusion with their wives last year.