That powerful moment of reconciliation – mother and daughter hugging – would stay with Superintendent of Prisons (SUPT) Long YingYing forever. Their relationship had been anything but smooth.
Gina (not her real name), just 18 at the time, had been sentenced to reformative training for her offences. Her mother, housed in a separate wing of the women’s prison, carried her own weight of mistakes.
Before this moment, Gina’s words reflected deep hurt and unresolved emotions. “She used to say things like: ‘If I see my mum in prison, I’m going to hit her’,” recalls SUPT YingYing. Gina resented her mother, who had been in and out of prison multiple times, for letting her fend for herself since she was a child.
This was one of the cases the 36-year-old was assigned to work on during her first posting with the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) from 2012 to 2014. At the time, she was a housing unit officer (now known as senior correctional unit officer) fresh out of the nine-month training for new SPS officers. She was responsible for a team tasked to ensure the safe and secure custody – as well as effective rehabilitation – of offenders.
SUPT YingYing and her team spent a long time engaging Gina before finally breaking through. Patiently, they encouraged Gina to take small steps, starting with writing letters, until she was ready to meet her mother face-to-face.
“Knowing that we had played a part in helping Gina reconcile with her mother gave me a deep sense of purpose and fulfilment. The reconciliation would enable them to support each other once they are released from prison,” says SUPT YingYing. “It was a reminder that we, as Captains of Lives, have the privilege to make a difference in the lives of the inmates, their family and the society at large.”
Such meaningful and transformative work takes place every day, often out of the public eye. To achieve this, SPS officers undergo comprehensive training in areas such as correctional knowledge, scenario-based situations, physical fitness and tactical skills, to help ensure the secure custody of inmates while supporting their rehabilitation into responsible citizens.
“The work we do is very meaningful and rewarding. By ensuring the secure custody of the inmates and rehabilitating them, along with the support of the community, we can positively impact and transform lives – helping offenders become responsible citizens,” she says.
SUPT YingYing always knew she wanted a career that aligned with her bachelor’s degree in psychology while allowing her to serve the community.
Her calling to become a prison officer was sparked during a junior college career fair, where she witnessed how SPS officers spoke with unwavering dedication about transforming lives. The moment deepened for SUPT YingYing when a song written by an inmate about redemption and second chances resonated with her own belief in human potential.
“Our work in prisons is not so much about putting offenders away but about rehabilitating them and giving them a second chance in life,” she says. “At SPS, we have the privilege to give others that second chance. This is not something that you can find in any other profession.”
SUPT YingYing has put that privilege into practice since she started at SPS in 2011. Her psychology degree provided her with a strong foundation in understanding human behaviour, which she applied in her interactions with offenders, while her early years as a prison officer – leading ground operations at women’s and men’s correctional units for almost five years – taught her the value of patience and teamwork in rehabilitation.
“Some might wonder if working in a prison is intimidating. I wasn’t afraid of working in the prison and I feel safe at work,” she says. “We work as a team and look out for one another, ensuring the safety of each other as well as the inmates.”
“At SPS, we have the privilege to give others that second chance. This is not something that you can find in any other profession.”
– Superintendent of Prisons Long YingYing, recipient of the Local Merit Scholarship under the MHA Uniformed Scholarship (SPS) scheme
This foundational posting prepared her for a broader role in policymaking, where she spent three years developing rehabilitation policies to strengthen support for inmates while they are inside prison, which is followed through in the community upon their release.
SUPT YingYing was also given the opportunity to work at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Headquarters. During her three-year posting at MHA’s investigation and enforcement policy unit, she developed policies and recommendations to better protect and support victims of domestic violence. Her work also involved reviewing operational policies and processes of law enforcement agencies to ensure they remain effective and efficient.
Just as SPS transforms the lives of offenders, the organisation practices the same growth mindset for its own officers.
“Our postings are gradual and progressive as our responsibilities and roles expand. We have ample opportunities to participate in structured milestone courses and stretch assignments, with coaches and mentors to give us guidance along the way,” explains SUPT YingYing.
As a Local Merit Scholarship recipient under the MHA Uniformed Scholarship (SPS) scheme, she benefited from an early leadership training that pushed her out of her comfort zone to trek the mountains of Nepal. To advance her leadership skills, she also participated in the SPS Command and Staff Course.
More recently in 2023, SUPT YingYing earned a master’s in applied positive psychology from the University of Melbourne that was funded by the MHA Postgraduate Scholarship, as part of the personal and professional development opportunities for MHA officers.
Today, she serves as senior assistant director (corporate communications and relations) at SPS.
After 14 years covering ground operations and policymaking, SUPT YingYing is now in a position to raise public awareness about the transformative work done in SPS.
“In my current role, I have the opportunity to help ensure safety, influence positive change and mobilise the community to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of the inmates and ex-offenders,” she says.
While the work can be emotionally draining at times, particularly when inmates open up about their personal struggles, SUPT YingYing has thrived at SPS by staying grounded in her belief in personal growth and second chances.
One piece of advice that has guided her through her career came from one of her mentors: “Be gentle and kind with yourself because growth takes time.”
