My Two Cents » Prison Work Programme : A Jamaica Gleaner Blog

Prison Work Programme

Recently the mayor of Kingston, Desmond McKenzie was lamenting about the state of the May Pen cemetery and stated that the care of the cemetery should be contracted out to ensure that it is properly maintained. This made me wonder what had happened to the prison work programme, after all aren’t some persons sentenced to jail with hard labour. Currently I am not aware of any hard labour programmes that take place in prison and I would welcome any insight into this matter.

I would like to suggest that caring for the May pen cemetery seems to be an ideal project for the programme. At a time when the country does not possess the resources to pay someone to clean the cemetery, the question must be asked as to why the government does not let the prison service have the responsibility. In addition given the general problem surrounding drain cleaning and the bushing of crown lands then why not also assign some of these tasks to the prison service.

This programme could be worked in two ways, firstly you could make the prisoners work at no cost and the government could use some of the money saved to pay for rehabilitation of the inmates. Alternatively, the persons who work on the schemes could be paid a stipend which they would receive when they leave prison. This money could then be used to help them have a new start. There are of course other ways to administer the programme and any one or combination of several could work.

I always stress that it is not just about cutting costs but in using the little that you do have more efficiently. The cost of maintaining prisoners is very expensive but having them leave as hardened criminals is even worse. There is a need to offset some of this expense in order to be able to maintain the prisons. Now I know that someone will say that it is not practical to give work to prisoners when there are so many unemployed persons. But the reality is that the work is not being done anyway as one can plainly see and hear in every community. In addition prisoners will not be able to do all of the work that is available. The most important point is that they do some of the available work and help to support their upkeep and improve their chances of rehabilitation.

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9 Responses to “Prison Work Programme”

jo bent says:

September 9, 2010 at 1:00 pm

I often wonder if the MPs or other politicians read these blogs I hope they do.

Low level inmates (non violent) short term prisoners can be used to clean up May Pen,Hope
Gdns, and around Caronation market under the watchful eyes of JDF.Payment to be literacy classes,work shops for a trade twice per week
by our learned experts in our society, pro bono.

Medium level inmates, with 2 years and more
should work in the prison making desks for schools, govt offices, street signs and other implements to benefit the country. In exchange they recieve a small stipend which goes to their children in the free world that they accept or is verified by the court, also the ability to take a literacy class or trade class.

Female inmates to learn sewing and making uniforms for the schools in JA which is sold to parents at reasonable price, learn parenting skills , they to recieve a stipend going to their children in the free world, and the ability to take literacy classes.

Hardened criminals & menaces to society should never be on outside work detail, the govt should install farms on the prisons and each inmate HAVE to work, at GP install a cabinet shop or something so they can work there too.

Every inmate MUST work unless disabled or a senior over 66 years old, or have a doctors excuse. Those who will not be willing to work should be put in segregation for 22 hrs a day andlose some privileges.

We would see better ppl coming out of the revolving doors we now have, these ppl would
feel as if they have self worth, also everyone would benefit. What do u think?
ripuree says:

September 9, 2010 at 6:30 pm

I agree with everything you say. It would also be good for prisoners to have a daily sweat from a hard day’s work. I don’t know what they do in prison all day. I hope they at least get the chance to exercise.
RuddyC says:

September 10, 2010 at 11:00 am

Maybe if more PROGRAMS were in PLACE for the YOUNG MEN. Then we would not have to be ADDRESSING this PROGRAM.

Now I can RECALLED when the MINISTRY of LLABOUR had APPRENTICSHIP PROGRAMS with AFFILIATED COMPANIES in Jamacia.

What has HAPPENED to those PROGRAMS?

How about the 1 year CAMP PROGRAMMEs they had at COBBLA CAMP in Manchester and CHESTERVALE in St Andrew. These were PROGRAMS for the YOUTH whom did not get a CHANCE at a HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION. And these programs PAID off in their RESPECTIVE POSITIONS.

TELL HAVE ALL THESE PROGRAMMES ABOLISHED? As far as Iam CONCERENED we are WORST now than we were 40 years AGO. Education you NAME IT!

SAD but TRUE.
Evangelist rico says:

September 11, 2010 at 9:04 am

For many years now, I have had this discussion with various correctional professionals and it’s always the same: if we just “warehouse” prisoners, the time they spend inside does almost nothing to prepare them for when they get out. Self-esteem is built upon achievement and if we teach prisoners a workable skill, if we prepare them to be reintroduced into society through a program that uses the skills they have mastered while in prison, if we have high expectations and high rewards for achievements, and if we have dire consequences of poor achievement and behavior, people usually will step up to the plate and reach the set goals. In this case, the work could be done, could be done well, skills could be taught, and prisoners could be working toward a goal instead of just passing the time. These principles are not original: they are Biblical. Ultimately, as the Holy Bible says, “if you don’t work you don’t eat.” Teach prisoners a skill, set up reintroduction programs so once they are out they can be channelled through those appropriate programs, give them an opportunity to better themselves, and show them how it is all tied directly to a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and watch things change. We are all sinners. Prisoners are usually sinners who just got caught up on the wrong side of the tracts. How many of us “almost” got caught years ago during our youthful years? Compassion and discipline go hand in hand. Make people responsible for their actions, make people responsible for their successes, and watch people flourish.
Desmond Green says:

September 11, 2010 at 9:09 am

This is a most practical and enlightened approach to eating our cake and having it at the same time. So let us just do it. We have done it before and we can do it again.
Under Commissioner John Prescod between 1995 and 2000 team mates cleaned up heroes Park, painted buildings at the Ministry of Education, Renovated the Dispute Resolution head office next door to The adult correctional facility, and other places. With a Reverence For Life Philosophy guiding the program it was a win/win project for all.
If we do it again with due diligence we could possibly reap the same results or even better.
baerie says:

September 11, 2010 at 1:37 pm

The entire penal code needs to be revised.First when criminals are sent to prison they should be busting up rocks in stony hill like in the past.Second they should be bushing roads,cleaning drains,painting schools and prisons.Their re-education prison tenure should be working in the fields so the prisons are self sufficient in food and subsidized by tax payers.Those who cannot read not write should be taught by other literate prisoners seeing there is a positive correlation between illiteracy and criminality.
LuceaBoy says:

September 12, 2010 at 1:51 pm

I strongly believe that criminals should not only eat taxpayers money because they are hungry but because they worked for the food that they eat. Prisoners have made the society in a very unpleasant place to live in as such they should try to devise methods of reassure the public they are willing to work for their justful food instead of depending on the state. We can’t be working for them when they have created mayhem which alters the smooth running of the country in a chaotic state. They are to be wipped too if they don’ want to do the work or placed in solitary confinement.
F Y I says:

September 13, 2010 at 10:22 am

FYI the prison work program is nothing new. Countries have been doing it for years especially the USA. In the US millions of jobs and profits
is made every year with the help of “SLAVE LABOR” Under the guide of “prison work program”. Corporations establish factories inside prisons, paying inmates an average of $1.00 an hour to produce products worth thousand of dollars, millions, billions as a whole. The gov of Jamaica will privatize the prison. With privatization more of our citizen will be locked up especially the “poor” to guarantee a work force.
jo bent says:

September 14, 2010 at 8:26 pm

When crimes are committed in our society those persons have lost the privileges from being among us, at their choice.

They should be made to work in prison planting calloo, cabbage, peas etc to go on free world market, and on their own table in prison, that would be a huge help in our economy and security, having friends and family take street food into prison is a joke, and put our citizens at risks . The Penal system head have to stop this practise, look at all the cell-phones found in prisioners rump.

Call it slavery but these able body men should be made to work, bars none, because devil find work for idlers, and a lot of them in there exercising their corrupt minds.