Prisons moving away from paper-based system
Published:Thursday | May 12, 2022 | 12:12 AMAndre Williams/Staff Reporter
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is to get a $117-million technology upgrade to allow it to be more responsive to the needs of inmates as it moves away from the current manual system.
Courtney Williams, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, told The Gleaner at yesterday’s contract signing for the supply of a jail management system that studies have highlighted issues relating to the general care of the inmates.
“ ... We identified a system like this ... so that we can have information that can be easily pulled together, can easily be analysed, [and] identify and detect where you need to make the particular intervention,” he said of the rationale behind the project, which is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank.
This jail management system, Williams noted, is particularly for the Department of Correctional Services and not police lock-ups, which have grappled with a number of crises over the past year, including jailbreaks.
“When you go into police lock-ups, that is really intended to be [a] short-term stay there until you get through that process of going through the courts and a decision,” he added.
Williams expressed confidence that the integrated information system will bring about well-needed benefits.
Over the past six years, the Government has spent more than $50 billion – about two per cent of gross domestic product – on national security.
“This is significant, but, as we invest in the security architecture, not only are we going to be strengthening the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Jamaica Defence Force, the DCS remains a critical part of that security architecture. So this type of investment is indeed significant. [It] is demonstrative of the significance and the importance that the Government places on strengthening the DCS in the overall crime-fighting architecture,” said the permanent secretary.
The system will be supplied by Washington-based Synergy International Systems Inc.
“This [system] is one that we feel very proud of ourselves, that will help the Government to strengthen their capacity in their operations in the justice sector,” said Synergy CEO Dr Ashot Hovanesian, who added that it could be linked to other agencies in the future.
Hovanesian singled out Rwanda, which has computer-supported courts which are completely paperless, noting that people do not travel from rural areas to file cases.
Regional centre of excellence
Dr Marc Thomas, deputy commissioner of corrections, hailed the benefit of the Security Strengthening Project, noting that Jamaica has moved closer to becoming a regional centre of excellence in correctional management.
“Our non-custodial clients number around 3,000. They are supervised by probation officers in every parish. The incarcerated population is about 3,700 across 11 correctional institutions. And, if you take a look inside the walls right now, you would find thousands of inmates engaged in various rehabilitation programmes, academic pursuits, vocational courses, life skills, sports therapy, you name it,” Thomas said.
He added that it was nothing short of a miracle that the DCS has had a paper-based operation for so long and expect to see more efficient tracking of inmates from admission to release and easier sharing of information to stakeholders bolstering transparency and accountability.