BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Apr. 17.2018 – ACTING Superintendent of Prisons, Asheila Connor has revealed that the number of inmates within Her Majesty’s Prison is currently on the decline.
That disclosure came while he and other top officials within the national security ministry addressed reporters, confirming that the total number currently stands at 204.
The decline, according to the acting prison boss, was evident since 2013, with figures for 2012 being 267, 2013 recording 366, while in 2014 there were 365 inmates.
“Somewhere about September (2013) we had a total of about 376/380 persons, and they were wondering if we would cross the 400 mark.”
According to Connor, since then prison officials have seen a decline in the numbers.
Though he did not readily provide the numbers for the remaining years, he said that there are 196 males and 8 females currently in the prison in Basseterre.
He however explained, that a number were repeat offenders.
According to the acting Superintendent, before 2013 the persons returning to prison would have been about a third of the prison population.
However, since then the returning prisoners have dropped to a quarterof the total number.
“What is worrying is that the first-time offenders, which would have been over the years about half of the returning prisoners, is now doubling what your returning prisoners are. So, something has changed, and you now have this category of prisoners at the top of the list.
“So whatever social intervention programs for me from a prison perspective, should target two groups: target the returning prisoners and you do prevention so that you ensure that those who offend for the first time don’t offend again and prevent persons from offending. If we are successful in doing that, that will keep the prison population continuing to trend downwards.”
Over the last five years, the Team Unity Administration and the former Labour Party Government both dealt with a major crime wave in the federation.
However, to mitigate against returning criminals and have inmates return to a life of stability, prison officials have undertaken a number of educational programmes.And according to Connor, those programmes are bearing fruit.
Connor said that outside of that programme, they have an outreach system which is geared towards tutoring 20 to 25 young persons, who are the sons or daughters of those who are incarcerated.
