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Caribbean unites to fix prison intake, break crime cycle
(Kaieteur News) – Caribbean prison officials are moving to modernise how inmates are assessed and rehabilitated, signalling a shift toward smarter, fairer justice systems.
Through collaboration with the UNDP’s PACE Justice project and EL PACCTO 2.0, representatives from 13 countries met in Barbados to overhaul prison intake—the critical first step when individuals enter custody.
In a statement on Thursday UNDP said that the officials met in Bridgetown Barbados from March 25-27 this year for a workshop spanning three days. Held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre it brought together representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica and Suriname.
“The focus of the training was improving prison intake and assessment processes – the first steps taken when a person enters custody. Getting these steps right helps authorities understand an individual’s risks and needs early, make better decisions about detention or alternatives, reduce administrative delays, and support pathways to rehabilitation from the start. Strong intake systems also help reduce overcrowding and unnecessary pre-trial detention,” the statement said.
“A proper intake assessment process can significantly improve a prisoner’s experience within the facility and, ultimately, their reintegration into society. In short, it can help break the cycle of crime,” said Vanessa Untiedt, PACE Justice Project Specialist, UNDP.
Officials spanning the 13 countries pose for a photo.
Angela Dixon Director of the Barbados Probation Service and President of the Caribbean Association of Probation and Parole, highlighted the importance of probation services. She noted that probation plays a key role when understanding the backgrounds, risks, and community connections of individuals. These aspects are important for informed decision-making.
“Probation’s defining value is continuity of knowledge about the individual. No other service carries the same depth of pre-existing relationship, community intelligence, and risk history,” Dixon added.
EL PACCTO 2.0’s Field Officer for the Caribbean, Luuk Bruijn, emphasized the value of regional cooperation. “The development of a standard procedure for intake assessment in prisons allows for local adaptations to a regionally agreed framework, taking into account best practices and expertise from across the Caribbean, ultimately strengthening the overall management of penitentiary systems.”
By the conclusion of the workshop, all participants agreed on a shared regional framework for prison intake and assessment, which is to be supported by country specific approaches. This marks an important step toward more consistent, fair and effective practices across the region. The next phase will focus on turning this framework into practical Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that can be used by prison and probation staff.
There are also work plans to explore a simple digital tool, which will support intake processes, improve the way records are kept currently and strengthen information sharing. Additionally, special emphasis will be placed on the improvement of coordination with probation and parole services that will be supporting evidence-based decisions. This activity ensures that PACE Justice project continues to support fair, effective and human rights–based correctional systems across the Caribbean, recognising that safer prisons help build safer communities.
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