Within the framework of the 27th Asian & Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators (APCCA) in Ha Noi, on November 28th 2007, a delegation of correctional administrators from many countries such as Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, Thailand led by Major-general Pham Duc Chan, Director of Prison Management Department (Ministry of Public Security) paid a fact-finding visit to Phu Son 4 Prison.
After the receiving ceremony, the delegates visited division units of Phu Son 4 Prison to see the re-education and housing conditions of prisoners. They also attended the friendly football match between prisoners and the music performance of a prisoners'' music team called "Music of Love". On behalf of the prison''s management, Colonel Nguyen Duy Vuc, Hero of the People''s Armed Forces, Director of the Phu Son 4 Prison briefly reported the prison''s management and education situation in the past 60 years.
Phu Son 4 Prison which precursor is the Viet Bac Re-education Camp was established in 1947, functioning to re-educate puppet soldiers and officials of French enemy. In 1965, to meet the requirement of new missions, the prison was merged with Ba Vi – Ha Tay 4 Re-education Camp into Phu Son 4 Prison. After 60 years, through the two harsh wars against colonialism, Phu Son 4 Prison is still the symbol of the socialism''s humanity to guilty people.
Its proudest achievement is to have educated many prisoners. From 2004 up to now, there are 1,146 well-behaved prisoners getting special pardon and thousands of inmates commuted to return to the normal life.
From the starting point of two jails with 1500 prisoners, up to now, Phu Son 4 Prison has 6 jails and a vocational training center, occupying 500 hectare, enabling to re-educate 5,000 prisoners. The prison has mobilized supports from government agencies at all levels and international organizations as well as the prison''s labour achievements in order to build up its infrastructure, improving the re-education and living conditions of prisoners.
In the past ten years, the prison honorably received visits of many leaders of the Government and the Central Party Committee as well as foreign delegations such as the European Commission Delegation, the German Parliamentary Delegation, the French Justice Department Delegation, the English and Danish Institute of Human Rights, the Siamese Prisons Delegation and the Laotian Home Office Delegation.
