Part One: Introduction and Statutory Framework
One-day visits were made during the week of 24th
-28th
August 2009 to SCACC,
TSACC, and the Horizon Adult Remand Centre (‘HARC’). Tese three maximum- security facilities together hold around 70% of the island’s entire prison population. Te Superintendent of each of the prisons was asked to complete a questionnaire providing statistical and other information on their institution. During the daylong visits, full access was granted to all areas. At each facility, a member of staff was assigned to guide me round the institution. By the time of the visit to HARC on Wednesday 26th
August, I had received permission from the Department of Correctional Services
to be accompanied on my visit by two interns from the IJCHR. However, this was not possible at SCACC or TSACC. Aside from footnoted references to extraneous sources, this report is based entirely on notes taken while touring the institutions. Tese include the notes of Jesse Nicholls and Admas Habteslasie from the day at HARC. Cell measurements were taken with tape measures, inmate numbers were gleaned from muster boards, and sanitary facilities and cell numbers were literally counted out by hand. Correctional Staff were invariably extremely helpful and, to the best of my knowledge, candid. Te project was concluded with an extremely short interview with Commissioner June Spence-Jarrett. I had hoped that there would be an opportunity to hear her thoughts and comments on the state of the Jamaican penal system and the conditions depicted in this report. Unfortunately however, the meeting was so short that the only information of interest which emerged from it was the confirmation that there do exist plans for a new ‘superprison’ on the island but that they have been shelved due to a lack of funding.9
3. International Obligations and Statutory Framework International Obligations
As mentioned in the introduction to this report, Jamaica is a signatory to the ICCPR. Article 7 of the Covenant prohibits torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Article 10 is specific to penal systems:
Article 10
1. All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.
9
See p.50 below.
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