CoI – Camp Street Prison: $400,000 per year to maintain a prisoner

– repeat offenders increased by over 100%

THE State spends approximately $485,000 on one prisoner per year at the Camp Street penitentiary, which amounts to $1,329 per day, while repeat offenders have increased by over 100%.This was disclosed in the findings of the recent Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Camp Street prison riot that claimed 17 lives following a fire on March 3rd.

According to the CoI report, which the Guyana Chronicle has seen, the figure represents a more inclusive and up-to-date calculation, which was submitted to the CoI.

However, it was noted that government’s Strategic Plan of 2010-2015 lists the figures as $334,617 per prisoner each year, which amounts to $920 per day for each prisoner. The per capita cost is arrived at by dividing the total operating cost (including overheads) by the total prisoner population for the relevant year.

SUBSTANDARD ACCOMODATION
The report further revealed that as at February 29th, 2016, the Georgetown Prison housed 979 inmates and this is estimated to be 448 or 84% over the maximum accommodation capacity. According to the report, the prison should only house a maximum of 531 prisoners.

It was noted that of the 979 detainees, 55 are living in dormitories five times smaller than the recommended standard prescribed for that number; 61 are living in areas four times smaller than recommended; 123 are living in areas three times smaller than the recommended standard; 311 are living in spaces two and a half times smaller than the recommended areas and 205 are living in areas half the recommended size.

“In overall terms, only 79 of the 979 inmates live in areas that meet international standards with respect to space. Almost half of inmates (47%) are living in enclosed spaces with three times as many people as is recommended for minimum standards of physical and mental health, to say nothing of human dignity,” the CoI concluded.

According to the report, considerations of air, light, absence of regular running water and inadequate waste disposal facilities need to be taken into account, pointing out that food quality deteriorates as the prison budget stretches to cover more meals than originally calculated. The personal hygiene of prisoners deteriorates as well.

“As the problem gets worse, inmates spend more and more time locked down in these harsh conditions, unable to move to work stations, recreational facilities, educational classes and other activities because such activities are sacrificed to the need of overworked prison officers to complete the basic tasks of supervising meals and ablution schedules,” the report noted.

It is the view of the Commissioners that the combination of overcrowded, uncomfortable and unhygienic confinement are ideal conditions for epidemics, for gangs to prosper and to propagate discontent.

Moreover, the CoI found that reducing numbers in prison to manageable levels is the single most important priority for establishing safe, humane and purposeful prisons. It was further noted that repeat offenders have increased by over 100%, “indicating not only a waste of taxpayer dollars but also the need for a more comprehensive and structured partnership within the wider justice system.”

Chairman of the Commission was Justice James Patterson and the other Commissioners were Dale Erskine, a former prisons director, and Merle Mendonca, a human rights activist.