A rehabilitation initiative in Singapore is providing incarcerated parents with the opportunity to maintain contact with their children through regular video calls, aiming to reduce the risk of intergenerational offending.

Project HOPE, launched in 2020 by the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, facilitates quarterly video conversations between inmates and their school-going children. As of October 2026, 134 inmates and 186 children from 79 schools have participated in the programme.

One beneficiary of the project is a 46-year-old inmate identified as "Fai," serving a 10-year and four-week sentence for financial crimes at the Changi Prison Complex. On October 22, he spoke to his 15-year-old daughter via tablet about her exam results and family matters. Due to incarceration since 2025, Fai has made three such calls to his daughter, who is preparing for her N-level examinations in 2027.

Fai expressed concerns about the challenges faced by adolescents whose parents are absent due to imprisonment. "I'm concerned that teenagers with parents who are not around will feel there's no one to talk to about their problems," he said. He views Project HOPE as a means to provide ongoing moral support despite his physical absence and is determined to prevent his children from engaging in criminal activities.

The initiative emerges against a backdrop of research highlighting the cycle of offending within families. A 2017 SPS study revealed that around 20% of incarcerated parents had at least one child who also offended. Furthermore, the children of offenders tend to encounter the criminal justice system at a younger age than their parents. A separate 2019 study found that 22% of children with drug-abusing parents had committed offences.

In 2024, then Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo emphasized the importance of supporting inmates and their families to reduce intergenerational offending, noting plans to enhance assistance to affected families.

Beyond video calls, inmates maintain family ties through electronic letters and prison visits. Yi Shuqin, a correctional rehabilitation specialist with SPS’ family and peer intervention branch, stated that sustained communication helps with the emotional well-being of children while reinforcing inmates’ commitment to rehabilitation and reintegration. She noted that while some children readily reconnect, others may require more time due to feelings of anger or hurt.

Fai acknowledged the need to preserve his eligibility for Project HOPE by avoiding conflicts within prison, saying he has committed to improving family relations and hopes to one day celebrate milestones such as his children's polytechnic graduations in person. "I want to be there for their polytechnic graduation," he said, reflecting a broader hope for healing and reconnection fostered by the programme.