Women of Steel

Ever wondered what female prison officers are like? Like, are they as sympathetic as they are tough?

We speak to two Singaporean women who work behind bars on how their careers have changed their own lives.

- Adora Wong

Ragini Anpazhahan

28, Staff Sergeant, Personal Supervisor at Changi Women’s Prison

I joined the prison service when I was 25. I was looking for a more fulfilling and exciting career and turned towards the public sector in search of it.

My day-to-day duties include unlocking inmates’ cells for their daily movements, [and facilitating] interview sessions with their lawyers, visits from family members, counselling sessions... and rehabilitative programmes that the inmates are scheduled to attend.

Once the busy part of the day is over, I see the inmates assigned to me to check on how they’re doing. We come up with solutions to some of their problems together. Common issues revolve around seeking employment and financial assistance after release.

It’s essential for a prison officer to be both firm and fair when handling inmates. The ability to empathise with people is also helpful as sometimes, in order to help an inmate, we have to truly understand their concerns and work with them to find the best way to help.