Gov’t Committed to the Rehabilitation of Incarcerated Persons

Minister of State for National Security, Senator Arthur Williams, has said that the government is committed to the rehabilitation of persons, who are in the nation’s prisons and other correctional facilities.
“The government is very keen on rehabilitation, and we have made that our mission in terms of this department (National Security),” he said.
“We believe that while there has to be punishment, our prisons must not be mere centres for punishment, but must be truly rehabilitation centres,” Senator Williams stressed.
He was speaking to probation officers at the Westmoreland Probation and After-care Centre in Savanna-la-mar on (Oct. 18), during a tour of correctional and after-care institutions in Hanover and Westmoreland.
Senator Williams admitted that while some existing correctional facilities do not allow for proper rehabilitation, he is optimistic that the goal can be achieved.
He informed that plans for the construction of a new facility, which will have proper facilities to provide for rehabilitation, are far advanced.
Turning to the matter of parole, the State Minister said he will be consulting with correctional officers to get their views on how the process can be improved.
Senator Williams is in the third week of an island-wide tour of correctional and probation after-care institutions. Over the next two days, he will be visiting facilities in St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon and St. Ann and will complete his fact-finding tour in another week.
Commissioner of Corrections, Major Richard Reece, is accompanying the State Minister on the visits.