The subdelegate of the Government, María Rivas, presided this morning in the penitentiary center of Teixeiro the acts of celebration of the Day of Mercy, patron of Penitentiary Institutions. No event was accompanied by the mayor of Curtis, Javier Fco. Caínzos and the Director of the Center, José Angel Vázquez.
During her speech, María Rivas praised the work of the staff of Penitentiary Institutions, stressing that thanks to her effort and involvement “we are an example in the rehabilitation and reintegration of the population”, she thanked the efforts “of all those who throughout these years have carried out your work with commitment, moral and professional rigor, and who day by day make our penitentiary system better, more human and more guarantee of rights”.
María Rivas valued the work, effort and involvement of all the staff who work in the penitentiary centers, and especially the work done by the more than 450 employees of this center and who make Teixeiro one of the most innovative penitentiary centers and of best quality assistance and reintegration throughout Spain.
The deputy delegate of the Government recalled that our penitentiary system has professionals who are its main asset; “with a level of training and technical preparation, which places them among the best prepared in the countries of our environment; professionals who promote treatment programs that are studied and imitated by other penitentiary systems and who draw the attention of numerous media throughout Europe that have their eyes fixed on our system as an example of success and good management.”
The people who make up the entire network of penitentiary institutions are fundamental to achieving the objective of achieving a fairer and safer society, in a task that is not easy and with a mission as delicate as it is important for our democratic model: to implement the constitutional mandate to help rehabilitative treatment and social reintegration of convicted persons, said Rivas.
The deputy delegate pointed out that this institution is also very marked by the work of women, by pioneers such as Concepción Arenal or Victoria Kent and their work in favor of integration policies or with the creation of the first corps of prison officers. For this reason, she expressed her satisfaction because every year more women officials turn the institution into a better reflection of society where women increasingly have a more relevant position.
In this sense, he assured that “I represent an open, progressive, pro-European and feminist government. This work in favor of equality, for the defense of women’s rights and in the fight against gender violence, prompted them last year to propose to this Penitentiary Center for the Meninas Awards of the Government Delegation in Galicia.”
Recognitions
Today’s event served to recognize the work of officials and collaborators of the penitentiary center with different mentions. First of all, 13 honorable mentions were given to the staff who completed 25 years of service; and the Special Mention to the Official of the Superior Corps of Technicians of Penitentiary Institutions to Beatriz Vazquez Tenreiro.
Finally, three medals awarded by the Ministry of the Interior were awarded. Bronze Medal of Correctional Merit to the official of the Corps of Assistants Manuel Villaverde Manso; Bronze Medal of Correctional Social Merit to Estefanía Teijeira Santiago, Procedural Management Officer of the Court of Violence against Women of Betanzos; and Silver Medal of Correctional Social Merit to the Penitentiary Pastoral in recognition of the realization of important services in the penitentiary field, as well as for its important contribution to the improvement of penitentiary activity in any of its manifestations.