Outgoing commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services Major Richard Reese. - file photos
THE DEPARTMENT of Correctional Services is creating more rooms in at least two prisons to deal with the expected increase in convicts, if the Government is successful in its attempt to pass six new anti-crime bills, while speeding up the justice process.
The bills are now being debated in Parliament while a comprehensive justice-reform project is under way in an attempt to move cases through the system more speedily.
But even as those efforts continue, outgoing head of the Department of Correctional Services, Major Richard Reese, says space is being made for hundreds more prisoners at the medium- and low-security prisons.
"We have not seen an increase in the number of prisoners over the last eight years, but in anticipating a possible hike in the number of persons found guilty and sentenced, we have to be mindful of that," Reese told The Sunday Gleaner.
"In the short term, our major emphasis will be to construct 200 dorms at Tamarind Farm, while the capacity at Richmond (Adult Correctional Centre) will be increased. The Tamarind Farm project will be tendered very shortly and that will relieve the overcrowding at the Tower Street and St Catherine Adult Correctional Centres," Reese added.
The outgoing commissioner expressed some disappointment that a new maximum-security prison is not in place years after plans to build one were announced by the then People's National Party administration. He added that he was well aware of the problems which have delayed the project.
Reese, who takes over as the permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security on December 1, says the plan to build a new prison has not been abandoned.
"With the financial constraints facing Jamaica, the proposal is for a private entity to build, own, lease and transfer the facility, while it will be staffed by officials of the Department of Correctional Services," Reese said
satisfied with his performance
After five-and-a-half years as head of the department, Reese is satisfied with his performance, citing several major accomplishments.
"There has been a reduction in the number of violent incidents in the institutions and a reduction in the number of complaints about human-rights violations, although we still have some work to do in that area," Reese disclosed.
"Prior to 2004-2005, a number of violent incidents in the prisons were not reported, but we now have better reporting, investigating and accountability," he added.
The outgoing prison boss took up the job at a time when more than 800 warders were on interdiction for their role in an industrial dispute. He believes settling that dispute and getting the workers back on the job was a high point in his tenure.
But, Reese said, the dispute left a blot on the history of the Department of Correctional Services.
The Tower Street Correctional Centre, downtown Kingston.
emotionally scarred
"The officers remain emotionally scarred. Some lost their homes, their wives or husbands and their cars, and some went into significant debt; but most have been able to put that behind them."
Reese is suggesting to his successor that rehabilitation of inmates has to be a priority.
"We have improved in the area of our risk needs assessment and the number of inmates who access rehabilitation, but we have not achieved the comprehensive intervention tailored to every inmate's needs."
He disclosed that the department would be getting financial support from the British government for rehabilitation initiatives over the next three years and programmes have to be tailored for individual inmates.
arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com