LABUHANBATU SELATAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Restrictions on freedom of movement during a prison sentence should not prevent people from continuing to learn and develop themselves. With this principle in mind, the Class III Kotapinang Correctional Facility in Labuhanbatu Selatan Regency, North Sumatra, is improving the use of its library to expand inmates' knowledge and encourage a stronger interest in reading. The initiative took place on Wednesday, 11 November 2026.
Through this facility,
Kotapinang Prison encourages inmates to broaden their knowledge, gain new insights and develop lasting reading habits. The initiative forms part of its rehabilitation programme, which aims to provide inmates with valuable knowledge and positive perspectives while they serve their sentences.
The Head of the Class III Kotapinang Correctional Facility, Haris Damanik, S.H., M.H., regards the library as an important facility supporting the rehabilitation process. In his view, its role extends beyond storing and lending books. It also provides inmates with a learning environment where they can access information and develop their personal abilities.
Improving access to the library is also part of broader efforts to establish a reading culture within the correctional facility. Through the available books and other reading materials, inmates have opportunities to explore different subjects, broaden their perspectives and understand various challenges in life from different points of view.
A Library as a Positive Learning Environment
Access to the library provides inmates with a constructive alternative for spending their time inside the correctional facility. They can engage in educational activities and read a range of materials that offer practical benefits. These include general knowledge as well as subjects that can support skills development and a better understanding of social life.
Reading also helps inmates establish positive habits. Books introduce them to different experiences, provide information about developments in society and offer inspiration for improving the quality of their lives.
A strong reading culture plays an important role in developing a more open-minded outlook. Knowledge gained through reading can help individuals examine problems more comprehensively, consider different perspectives and strengthen their critical thinking abilities.
For this reason, the library serves a purpose beyond that of an ordinary supporting facility. It can become an important part of the rehabilitation environment by encouraging inmates to use their time constructively and develop a commitment to continuous learning.
HARIS DAMANIK PROMOTES A READING CULTURE: The Head of the Class III Kotapinang Correctional Facility,
Haris Damanik, regards the library as an important facility supporting inmate rehabilitation and knowledge development. (PHOTO: Jhon Fitra Sagala)
Literacy as a Foundation for Personal Change
Encouraging an interest in reading is also closely linked to developing self-awareness and discipline. Books can inspire inmates to recognise their own abilities, reflect on past experiences and build the motivation needed to pursue a better way of life.
Through literacy and educational activities, inmates have opportunities to deepen their understanding of different aspects of life. The knowledge they acquire is expected to help them make wiser decisions, strengthen their sense of personal responsibility and prepare for life after completing their sentences.
Efforts to establish a reading culture inside the correctional facility also demonstrate the importance of providing everyone with access to education and knowledge, regardless of their background or personal circumstances. Access to learning remains a fundamental need that deserves attention, including for those undergoing rehabilitation in correctional institutions.
In this context, the library can serve as a facility that supports personal transformation. Through regular reading, inmates not only acquire new information but can also develop their outlook and improve their understanding of the social environment around them.
READING FOR A BETTER FUTURE: Library facilities give inmates opportunities to develop their perspectives, strengthen self-awareness and prepare for their eventual return to society. (PHOTO: Jhon Fitra Sagala)
Knowledge as Preparation for Returning to Society
The role of a correctional facility extends beyond the administration of prison sentences. More importantly, the rehabilitation process aims to prepare inmates to return to society and lead responsible lives following their release.
Knowledge and education are important elements of this preparation. Inmates need continued opportunities to learn so that they can improve their personal abilities, build self-confidence and understand the responsibilities that come with participating in society.
By making optimal use of its library, the Class III Kotapinang Correctional Facility is seeking to create a productive and educational rehabilitation environment. The initiative also reinforces the understanding that learning is not restricted by location, time or an individual's circumstances.
This approach is consistent with the objectives of Indonesia's correctional system, which places rehabilitation, behavioural change and preparation for a responsible return to society at the centre of its work.
The efforts to optimise the library are expected to go beyond simply making the facility available. Instead, reading should develop into a positive habit that becomes an integral part of daily life inside the prison. In this way, reading can help inmates broaden their knowledge, strengthen their awareness and prepare for a better future when they return to society.
(IDNC)REPORTER: Jhon Fitra Sagala | EDITOR: Fik Sagala