THE OFFENDER Management System (OMS), designed to monitor high-risk and other inmates in the country's penal institutions, is now a reality.
The phased implementation of this integrated management information system (IMIS) is set to begin this month at the Tower Street and St. Catherine correctional centres, as well as the Horizon Remand Centre in Kingston.
State Minister for National Security, Dr. Donald Rhodd, said on Tuesday during his presentation to the Sectoral Debate in Gordon House that the system was being developed to establish a database linking the Depart-ment of Correctional Services with the police and the courts.
Dr. Rhodd told his colleagues that the integration of the OMS with the Jamaica Constabulary Force would enhance public safety, as it facilitated faster background checks by the police.
INMATE DATABASE
Commissioner of Corrections, Major Richard Reese, told The Gleaner that the OMS provides a database with profiles of inmates, including offences committed, sentences handed down, date of admission and security risk.
"If they go out to court it would be entered, if they participate in work programmes it will be entered. What you would in fact have is a log of all their activities and movements once they are incarcerated," Major Reese explained.
He reported that work was now under way to put in place cables for computer hardware, to be followed by software installation then training for personnel in the correctional services.
