This Saudi Gazette/Okaz article raises a point that I’d certainly missed…

Royal pardons of criminals, usually undertaken from time to time in the Kingdom and involving, for the most part petty criminals, is a disruptive act. Yes, it’s great to be released from prison, no doubt. Ten thousand have been pardoned in the latest release. In a sense, those 10,000 are being ‘dumped’ back into society, with little preparation and no real support structure in place to deal with their social re-integration. For many, that won’t be a problem. For 1,000 families in the KSA, though, it is indeed a problem.

The article describes a program that is seeking to make the reintegration smoother.

Committee seeks prisoner understanding from public
Khalid Al-Shalawi

MADINA – The Madina head of the National Committee for Care for Prisoners and their Families has said that “tens of thousands” of felons in the region are due to be released under the royal pardon announced to mark the return of Crown Prince Sultan to the Kingdom and called for sympathy from the public for the plight of freed inmates.

“Committees have been instructed to attend to released prisoners’ needs as quickly as possible to assist them morally and financially,” said Abdullah Al-Mikhlif following the launch of a Prisoner Care awareness campaign. “Around 1,000 families are affected by the decision, and this sixth Prisoner Care Awareness Week hopes to form an enlightened and understanding opinion in the public of prisoners and their families.”
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