• The Mandarin term “中途之家” is a paraphrase of the English term “halfway house”.
• In Singapore, former drug addicts or prisoners who have left a drug rehabilitation centre or prison are usually required to go to a halfway house for counselling, or to join a residential rehabilitation programme to completely get rid of their drug addiction or criminal habits. They also undergo training that helps them reintegrate into society, return to the community, and ensure that they do not reoffend.
• As ex-offenders often encounter great difficulty in their attempts to reintegrate into society after their prison terms, halfway houses assist them in rebuilding their lives.
• Halfway houses are mostly established by religious organisations. The Government generally does not provide direct funding for halfway houses, but will assist with their operations and manpower. The first Government-run halfway house, Selarang Halfway House, was established in 2018.

The first Government-run halfway house for higher-risk ex-offenders started operation in November last year, marking an important step by the Singapore Prison Service to strengthen its community-based programmes. (Shin Min Daily News, 12/1/2019).

• The Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (now known as Yellow Ribbon Singapore) established the Halfway House Service Model in collaboration with eight halfway houses.
• Halfway houses in Singapore include:
  1. Christian halfway houses: Breakthrough Missions, Teen Challenge
  2. Buddhist halfway houses: Green Haven Halfway House
  3. Muslim halfway houses: Pertapis Halfway House
  4. Government-run halfway houses: Selarang Halfway House