Prison Assistant, Superintendent Raphael Catin, has said the Stock Farm Prison” is not overcrowded but has expressed grave concerns over a number of things at the institution.
He made the revelation as he delivered the “Jail delivery” at the closing of the Criminal Session last Friday.
“The prison is not overcrowded…it has a set capacity of 300 so presently we have 219 inmates; 216 males and 3 females,” he stated. “Out of that, 167 males are convicts, two are females with 49 males on remand and one female on remand,” Catin stated.
He also told the court that they are “concerned about the security” at the prison.
“We have no security cameras and we are very concerned,” he said. “The security block where people are kept for murder has 12 cells and was built a long time ago and is badly in need of renovations and we are concerned about that.”
Catin also stated that “drugs” is a “major issue” at the prison.
“We have drugs still being sent over the fence,” he said. “Also in the security block there are no toilets and prisoners have to excrete in pails and we are very concerned about that.”
He explained that they are “thinking of combing cells to make six toilets in the Security Block so as to make the conditions much better.
He also said there is concern that juveniles are being kept with the general prison population.
“Yes that is an issue for us …we don’t have any juvenile center as mandated by law but we are trying our best to deal with the juveniles,” Catin said.
u expect prison to be over-crowded when they let all the prisoners go. smh
All guilty suspects walk free
I mentioned this topic before that we need a secure prison fenced with blocks, let the prisoners themselves build the blocks and fence the compound. The state feed these lawbreakers let them fix up the prison for them to stay , what is wrong with that.
Maybe those in high offices are scared of a program like that for fear they too may one day be within the walls.
There is also the Hospital issue that needs to be handled,build a bigger and better equip Hospital. Prison and Hospital go hand in hand.l
Prison Ass’t. Superintendent, I hope this is addressed directly to the PM. The Stock Farm prison is in dire need of reconstructing.
God bless!
You do need security cameras inside and outside the prison.
Toilets for those prisoners are necessary.
The problem of drug-throwing over the fence: Some people are bold. Those who are caught should be arrested for what they are doing is a crime. There should be surveillance in that area.
I hope when you catch prisoners with drugs that you take them away from them.
The fence may have to be much higher than it is.
Juveniles should not be among the adult prison population.
No joking. if I had won the $55M in the Lotto Max last Friday, instead of someone from Quebec, I surely would have given Dominica some of it and also to repair the prison. If ever I am fortunate to win such an amount, definitely Dominica would benefit from it which would go toward some important D/ca project.
I still love D/ca. Do you?
Third world, my country not going anywhere. That is the state of a prison in 2015. Stupees, just sad.
What happened to all the toilets that the government was giving out? I’m afraid to ask.
It’s not overcrowded because Dominica’s thugs are on the streets. All the killers, rapists and robbers; all the wife-beaters and child molesters. And all the corrupt police and politicians.
There are always more criminals outside than inside; also crazy/mad ones. I will inform you, every country has this problem. If only crimes in general would be eradicated, what a happy and peaceful world we would have.
In addition, if only D/ca would be as it were in those days, few criminals and petty ones. There was hardly a murder for as much as ten years.
Those days when we had no fear of criminals and walking around even in the evenings, if only they would return. I say, please God, put a hand.
I think you are exaggerating a bit but you do have a point. I wonder how many suspects are currently on bail in Dominica, walking around freely?
That is primary confinement. What about secondary confinement, when their doctor admits you into psyche ward under drug treatment that eventually destroys your mind? Sometimes under pressure to do so by your opponents.
What you insinuated, they should not be treated? The drugs already destroyed their brains.
They are prisoners and have to be treated. Do you want them to harm the other prisoners, some of whom do not take drugs or never did?
The quass of Dominica?
man sleeping on man prison not overcroded
Who caused them to do that and why?
Wait…the juvenile prison is “mandated by law” but it has never been fulfilled and no one is held accountable?!
The irony or all ironies…the government is breaking the law in its reprimand of citizens that break it! HA!
Citizens pay but government gets paid! Dominicans you all are truly the laughing stock of the Western Hemisphere.
This is what you should protest about and peacefully.
Alas, for all the young people and hardbacks Governments have sent to gain higher education, you would think by now that the general population would have a better idea of what they should DEMAND from their leaders, but maybe all of them and we – still overseas studying.
No leader, opposition or otherwise saw the need to PROMISE the people of Dominica to address the prison conditions throughout the island. No. Instead promises of coconut tablet for every school child to spoil their teeth and 5,000 jobs in 3 years were made; not to forget the white International Elephant airport which we have been promised since the time of PJ; things which are not easily achieved and sustainable by Dominica.
Don’t get me wrong, we need the International airport, but we need to first make an effort to fix the problems which are right under our noses; garbage collection and disposal for example cause we all smell it.
But as long as the prison not overcrowded, like we say, the country nice!
Make a list of what you think are important and should be done and present it to the PM and/or the appropriate authorities. Keep a copy for your records. Follow it up with them. Always do so respectfully.
Correct source for the image is not dominik.net but domnik.net.
Put your spectacles on Niko. The caption DOES say domnik.net
Or keep it, the spectacles off!
It was corrected after I made the comment. Thanks for DNO staff for that.
This is despicable, to say the least. Why has it taken so long for a situation to be revealed? What attention is being given by the minister of national security? After all, the individuals in there are human beings with certain rights. Only in Dominica.
I hate to hear you people say only in dominica…o shut the hell up you all know well is not only in Dominica ish happens stupes
It doesn’t matter where it happens it is wrong and needs to be addressed.
hmm them man have to poo poo in pails? So when labour power had the toilet campaign they forgot to check the prison? oh well again maybe prisoners can’t vote.
‘thank God for skerrit’
Only in Dominica. To 2015 and man still …. in pail. NO Security cameras in a place that should be most secured. Can you imagine what is going on under everyone\’s noses? Its as if we know no better. everything is in need of a do over here. Best we really sell the country because we ourselves dont know how to run it properly. Who cant hear will feel, when our heads and people with the means and resources want to act it will be too late. nothing is an issue, the country nice. I dont care about nobody standards, but i have mine, and lately it seems like the country has no standards or level of class. dislike if you want but just take a look around and be honest with yourself and the country. we call for change but we ourselves are unwilling to change.
Probably a pail, while not sanitary is appropriate. Reason being, have you heard about the prison escapees in the US and in Mexico and how they managed to escape?
I commend Supt. Catin for his frankness and am pleased t hear that the prison is not overcrowded. However, I would like the Govt. to affirm that the facility passes muster as per the U.N. resolution 4/111 of 14 Dec. 1990 on, “The basic principles of the the treatment of prisoners”, to which we are signatories.
And would Govt. allow an inspection by an independent , international body to ascertain that
any rumours to the contrary are not based on fact? That would be of benefit for the reputation of our authorities and our country as a whole.
Governments Come and governments go, but no one seems to have a new prison on the agenda. I am sure all will agree this is long overdue. Indeed the conditions of prisons and cells everywhere are deplorable. Shame.
A proper hospital is better .
Purchase lottery tickets, if only one. It takes only one to win and if you do, you could give some of it for all the projects which need to be done and completed in D/ca.