巴西囚犯織毛衣 織3天換1天減刑大綱

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Poring over their fine-quality crochet, the prisoners of Brazil's Arisvaldo de Campos Pires maximum security penitentiary are a model of concentration.

　　盯着手中這些製作精良的鉤編織物，巴西坎波斯皮雷最高安全戒備監獄裏的囚犯們，無疑成了集中注意力的典型代表。

And it's no wonder, when you consider what's at stake. Thanks to a collaboration with Brazilian fashion designer Raquel Guimaraes, the inmates have one day taken off their sentence for every three days of knitting they perform.

　　但要是你知道他們這樣做的回報，就不會覺得奇怪了。多虧了與巴西時尚設計師拉克爾·吉馬良斯的合作，這些囚犯每做三天的編織工作，就可獲得一天的減刑。

The designer turned to the prison for help in 2009 when she had trouble finding knitters for her Doiselles label, which specialises in beautiful knitting and crochet work.

這位設計師的品牌Doiselles專營精美的針織鉤織飾品，2009年她爲尋找針織工人而大費周章，後來向監獄尋求合作。

She trained 18 prisoners sentenced for crimes ranging from robbery to murder, and their work is now exported globally, including to America, France, and Japan.

　　她對18名因搶劫或謀殺而獲罪入獄的犯人進行鍼織培訓。如今他們的作品銷往全球，包括美國、法國和日本等地。

The hand-made pieces, which are strictly quality-checked, are also sold in 70 stores in Brazil. Named the Flor de Lotus ('Lotus Flower') Project, the initiative is a chance for prisoners to earn money while serving their time.

　　這些手工製作產品經過嚴格質量檢查，在巴西70多個商店裏也有出售。這項名爲“蓮花” 的合作項目，旨在幫助監獄犯人在服刑期間也有工作掙錢的機會。

Participating inmates are paid a starting salary of 75 per cent of Brazil's minimum wage. A quarter of what they earn is put aside, and paid on their release.

　　參與該合作項目的犯人的初始工資是巴西最低工資的75%。他們所得報酬的四分之一由獄方保管，直至出獄後一筆結清。

Former prison inmate Celio Tavares, who was jailed for armed robbery, said the project boosts prisoners' chances of finding a job when their sentences are up.

　　西利歐·塔瓦雷斯曾因持械搶劫而被判入獄，他說這一項目大大增加了囚犯在刑滿釋放後找到工作的機率。

'The program gives inmates skills and confidence they can use when they return to life on the outside. This raises the self-esteem of the prisoners, and opens the door to work and employment for everyone else,' he said.

　　他說：“囚犯通過這個項目學會技能，擁有自信，對他們迴歸外界生活十分有益。它提升了犯人的自尊心，爲所有人的工作就業敞開大門。”

　The prison is located in Juiz de Fora, in the state of Minas Gerais, about 100 miles (160 km) north of Rio de Janeiro. Ms Guimaraes, who works nearby, says around 100 inmates have taken up the knitting challenge since she started training them four years ago.

　　監獄位於米納斯吉拉斯的茲灰福拉市，在里約熱內盧以北100英里（160公里）處。吉馬良斯女士就在附近工作，她說自從四年前她開始這個項目至今，大約有100個囚犯參與了編織工作。

She sees the project as a way for prisoners to be viewed as something more than criminals, explaining: 'The remission of the sentence gives them the value of redeeming freedom, integrity and confidence. They are able to do any work and produce very well.'

　　她認爲這個項目給囚犯提供一個“罪犯”以外的身份，還解釋說：“減刑能使他們重獲自由、變得正直而自信。他們可以勝任各種工作，而且結果也十分滿意。”