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Legal Affairs Ministry to help tackle overcrowded prisons
Attorney General, Basil Williams on Wednesday met with consultants contracted under the Support for the Criminal Justice System Programme, (SCJSP) John McKendrick and Keith Peterson, to discuss issues relating to overcrowding at local prisons.
Arising from their discussions, a pilot project is slated to provide legal assistance to persons accused of minor, non-violent offenses in pre-trial detention.
The project entails training activities, which seeks to strengthen legal representation skills among Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and other aid providers.
According to the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the project may use supervised paralegals to provide support to legal aid in the prisons and police stations.
2nd from right, Attorney General, Basil Williams along with consultants John McKendrick and Keith Peterson and another member of the team
Seeking dismissal of charges or arguing for bail and generally avoiding procedural delays are some areas in which legal aid agents can garner support.
The implementation of a more pro-active use of alternative sentencing by the criminal justice system is also an area for consideration.
It was recommended that the Government may consider having prisoners deferred to a rehabilitation facility for specified treatment.
To this end, a study is being carried out on the appropriate treatments of prisoners prone to substance abuse and mental health issues.
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