Prison count stands at 460 inmates at the end of 2012 Court’s Criminal Assizes

At the close of the High Court’s Criminal Assizes on Wednesday, the prison population was 460, a year-on-year increase of 32.{{more}}

The figures, presented by Superintendent of Prisons, Linus Goodluck, states that there currently 243 prisoners housed at Belle Isle prisons, 201 at Her Majesty’s Prisons and 16 females housed at Fort Charlotte.

There are 315 males penal, 129 males on remand, seven females penal, and nine females on remand.

A total of 131 males were sentenced by the High Court, 184 by the Magistrate Court, while three females were sentenced by the High Court and four by the Magistrate Court.

Three females and 43 females are currently awaiting trial. A total of 76 males are awaiting preliminary investigations and three males are awaiting preliminary inquiry on murder charges.

Ten are awaiting sentence.

There are 36 non-nationals in custody — 14 are serving sentences, seven are awaiting preliminary investigation, 14 awaiting trial and one awaiting sentence.

Patrick Lovelace is the lone male on death row.

Goodluck told the court that a number of inmates were becoming frustrated because of the lengthy time their matters were taking to be heard.

He said some prisoners behaved in manners that were not appropriate for the prison system.

He added that from this assizes, he has seen a reduction in the frustrated ways of some of the men awaiting trial.

Goodluck also commended the prosecution for taking care of some of those matters.

Over the years, he said the prisons have been asking for a psychologist or a social worker and in August this year, that request was fulfilled with the addition of a social worker.

Since her addition, he said, there has been a little reduction in the frustration level of some of the inmates.

He said would love to get more persons of that calibre to assist, since there are three correctional facilities here.

He thanked his staff and the police for their hard work throughout the year.

Goodluck said believe that everyone, even the public, should be a part of the rehabilitation process to assist prisoners.

“If we have to have an effective prison system, the prison officers alone cannot do it. Therefore, I am making an appeal to the public, please embrace these people, not because they are in incarceration. They are human beings,” Goodluck said.

The closing also heard other remarks from Justices Wesley James and Frederick Bruce-Lyle, along with other members of the legal fraternity. (KW)