Latest update December 25th, 2024 1:10 AM
Latest News
- Guyanese losing millions from Govt. and Opposition’s failure to to manage oil sector
- ‘Guyana’s Stabroek Block success is like a Michelin Star Restaurant’ – Exxon official
- Gaza appeals for help as Israeli army attacks key hospitals
- Face the Press, Mr. President!
- State makes application to revoke Brutus’ bail
Interventions at arrest stage could ease overcrowding in prisons
– Lovett
The conditions that exist in Caribbean prisons date back to colonial times, and as such, in the 21st century, these conditions are very difficult to rehabilitate offenders who find themselves in the custody of the state for infringements.
This is according to Colin Lovett, Vice-President of Strategic Development of Carter Goble Lee (CGL) in the United States of America. He added that the current annual meeting of the Association of Caribbean Heads of Corrections and Prisons (ACHCPS) will be looking at interventions to be instituted between the times of arrest and sentencing.
CGL was established in 1974, and is a multi-discipline organisation focused on providing practical solutions to system and facility development needs.
According to Lovett, if implemented, the interventions would be a significant breakthrough in addressing the problems of overcrowding in prisons, which are plaguing prisons through the Caribbean.
He noted that interventions represented a key area addressed during yesterday’s session, at which the regional heads for the penal facilities were looking at recommendations. They contended that interventions could save persons from actually going to prison.
Among the recommended interventions were citations to appear in special courts rather than immediate remand to prison, and pre-trial programmes for offences such as drug use. Through the former, the offender could be placed in rehabilitation programmes.
Mr Lovett said that similar programmes could be instituted for alcohol-related offences, such as drinking under the influence (of alcohol).
“It would be a sentencing option for courts not to send someone to prison, but to send (that person) to a diversion programme more suited to his or her needs,” said Lovett.
According to Lovett, most prisoners today are people suffering from psychotic illnesses, and they comprise between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of the prison population.
He noted that they could also be termed co-offenders in that most of their offences were triggered by drug or alcohol-related addictions.
This has been illustrated on several occasions in courts, where hundreds of persons are sentenced for simple larceny given that they committed the act solely to maintain their habit.
Lovett opined that correction/rehabilitation rather than punishment would be a more suitable alternative, given that nine out of 10 times the offender will serve a short stint in prison and within months be back before the courts for similar offences.
This can also be observed in the local courts, where prosecutors object to bail for offenders on simple larceny charges, given their history of committing the offence.
He noted that several of the recommendations, such as drug, alcohol and domestic violence counselling and anger management, among others, have been adopted in several countries (including some in the Caribbean) and have proven to be successful.
“Any prison that is overcrowded has to look at what its options are…It takes commitment from Government, and maybe some funding.”
He did note, however, that the financial commitment from the Government would not be significant, in that most of the programmes are run by volunteer agencies and some are privately contracted.
The conference will conclude on Friday and will see discussions on what role the ACHCPS will play in the future, among others.
The participants of the ACHCPS are also slated to take part in a tour of the Georgetown and Lusignan Prisons, after which there will be a review of the visit.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Merry Christmas, Ya Filthy Animals!
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Ah, Christmas—the season of goodwill, good cheer, and, let’s not forget, good riddance!... more
Breaking the Chains of Poverty: A need for political will
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The year 2024 has underscored a grim reality: poverty continues to be an unyielding... more
Weekend Cartoon
