• The General Directorate of Reformation & Rehabilitation was set up as a “Prison Section” to detain and imprison those with court sentences passed against them. It was a small section under an administrative officer of the Interior Ministry in the 1980s.
• On 11 December 1996, Amiri Decree 29 of 1996 reorganized the Interior Ministry and the Prison Section was renamed the “Penal institutions Directorate” under the General Directorate of Police Affairs.
• In 2004, Royal Decree 69 reorganized the Interior Ministry and the directorate was further renamed the Directorate of Reformation & Rehabilitation under the Interior Ministry Undersecretary. In 2007, Ministerial Order 49 of 2007 placed the department under an Inspector-General.
• On 19 August 2007, Ministerial Order 76 of 2007 affiliated the Reformation & Rehabilitation Centre to the Directorate of Reformation & Rehabilitation.
• In the beginning of 2012, Ministerial Order 30 of 2012 affiliated the Detention Centre at the Dry Dock to the Directorate of Reformation & Rehabilitation.
• While its beginning was of a legal and regulatory nature, in 2004, Royal Decree 69 reorganized the Interior Ministry and the Directorate of Reformation & Rehabilitation became one of its main departments, with a commendable record of development, care and human rights. After three years, the department was brought under an Inspector-General to continue as an institution with rehabilitation as its top priority so as to integrate convicts into society as decent individuals for their families as well as the community and to protect them from any dangers.
• The directorate enforces penalties in accordance with the law and international human rights standards to protect the community and maintain general order and security, and assists inmates to understand themselves in terms of their capabilities and talents and learn skills that can help them to integrate into society by channelizing their inner strength towards good work.
• The directorate has commitment to enforce the Prisons Law of 1964 and follow international human rights standards in dealing with inmates and convict-related international conventions.
• The prisons used to be ordinary in terms of buildings (the lock-in locations), jobs and roles in limiting the repetition of crimes in society. Then core developments were reported in the prison systems of most countries to tackle crimes and limit the rate of repetition of crimes. Many countries adopted the reformation and rehabilitation concept to bring about positive changes in the inmates and make them shed their negative behavior that pushed them to commit crimes by developing their innate sense of responsibility.

• Reform and rehabilitate inmates and offer them the best services.
• Offer education and training to inmates and detainees and encourage them to continue their education.
• Improve the human resources development in all levels.
• Develop the infrastructure of reformation and rehabilitation Centre’s in accordance with the best international standards.
• Closer cooperation with the local and international human rights organizations.
• Partnership with related local and international organizations to exchange expertise and improve performance.
• Associate the inmates’ family members in the Directorate’s events and activities.

Reformation and rehabilitation of inmates to integrate them into society so they could build their future and contribute in the national development.

Excellence while offering services and programmes in accordance with the international standards and systems.