“Justice Minister Herbert Volney, speaking at yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Prime Minister’s office, St Clair, gave a summary of the “Prison Rules 2012″ and the “Prison Amendment” bills, which he said are to be debated “soon” in Parliament, which is expected to resume next week.
He said the legislation would move away from retributive justice to restorative justice and would lend support to an offender’s re-entry into society, reducing recidivism and promoting the rehabilitation of prisoners. The current prison rules, which have existed since 1943, are anachronistic, and new rules which focus more on the prisoners and their management and treatment were necessary, he said.
The new rules establish requirements of clothing, food and sleeping accommodation that conform, where possible, to United Nations and international standards, Volney said. The rules also make provision for “adequate medical services that will cater to prisoners with special needs and conditions”.
Volney said the new rules would support the human dignity of prisoners. The new system would include “a system of privileges for the different classes of prisoners, including a points-based system for prisoners to earn remission or part-remission of their sentence”.
It will also include “a detailed system of communication and visits, which would allow prisoners to communicate with their family, friends and attorneys, including the use of telephone and video visits, as well as conjugal and private family visits for convicted prisoners who meet eligibility criteria,” Volney stated.”
For more on the article please click the link below.
New ‘prison rules’ to allow conjugal visits for convicts | Trinidad Express Newspaper | News.
