Erica Virtue, Staff Reporter
THE ISLAND'S penal institutions could come under more pressure for space to house inmates, if the Government's latest assault on crime to remove criminals off the streets is successful.
Already bursting at the seams with overcrowding, the total capacity for the four correctional institutions is said to be 2,800. But well over 4,000 persons are currently incarcerated and this figure includes several who are insane and unfit to plead.
The four institutions are the maximum security Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre (General Penitentiary), St. Catherine District Prison, Tamarind Farm and Richmond prisons.
The Sunday Gleaner was unable to contact representatives from the Correctional Services last week, but former prison doctor, Raymoth Notice, said overcrowding in the prisons has been a long-standing issue.
"It is not a secret. The prisons are full. And with due respect to Colonel Prescod (former Commissioner of Corrections), that is why he was keen on the rehabilitation programme so that the men could be integrated into society," he said in an interview.
While he applauded the new crime-fighting initiative wholeheartedly, he said, "We cannot continue to pile individuals upon individuals inside the system, without finding ways to reduce the numbers there."
Commanding officer in charge of operations in St. James, Superintendent Owen Ellington, said the country needs correctional facilities to house at least 10,000 persons currently.
He said more than 2,000 persons were convicted in his division alone in a year.
While he supports the crime-fighting initiative, he said "We must find other ways of dealing with petty criminality."
Meanwhile, other officials explained that the number of persons on remand at police lock-ups remain high as the problem-plagued Horizon Remand Centre, which was built to house well over a 1,000 persons on trial, is still not able to take persons on remand, as was intended.
More than 400 persons are now said to be housed there, a figure well below its capacity.
Inspector Howard P. Brown, who is in charge of the Remand facility at the Gun Court, said it is currently housing 60 accused persons who have been remanded by the courts.
According to him, "That is still high and it is down from 100 in June this year. But many are now re-located to the Horizon Remand Centre."
Inspector Brown said the individuals at Gun Court Remand were transferred there after the Metcalfe Street Remand Centre was closed down.
"But the lock-ups are still a bit overcrowded. And, if many of those on trial receives custodial sentences, I guess they will go to GP or St. Catherine District prison," he said.
