AS much as 29 per cent of the island’s convicted criminals return to a life of crime upon their release from local prisons, a trend that has been trekking upwards since 2003 when the rate of recidivism stood at approximately 24 per cent.

This has resulted in a steady increase in the number of persons committed to the care of the Department of Correctional Services over the period.

According to state minister in the Ministry of National Security, Derrick Kellier, a total of 3,611 prisoners were in the system in 2001, a figure which increased to 3,742 in 2002.

The following year the numbers rose to 3,998 but dipped to 2,948 in 2004.

Last year’s decrease, though significant, does little to comfort those in charge.

In fact, Kellier foresees an increase for 2005, considering the fact that the prison population, as it stands now, has already climbed back to 3,891 inmates.

“For 2004, there was a marginal decrease, but based on current trend, one can expect the figures to increase for this current year,” Kellier said.

This, Kellier noted, is of particular concern as it is costing almost $100,000 more to feed each prisoner, as the cost of care trends higher.

“For (the) financial year 2003/04, it cost the Department $285,570 to care for each inmate, while the projected cost for this current year is $384,975,” he said – representing a 35 per cent increase.

“This is a worrying fact but equally disturbing is the increase in the rate of recidivism.”

Kellier was speaking at Tuesday’s Information Technology Exposition at the South Camp Adult Correctional Centre. The expo featured demonstrations of IT skills by inmates enrolled in the Students Expressing Truth (SET) programme established nearly five years ago at the facility.

According to the state minister, convicts return to crime for several reasons that include lack of necessary skills, illiteracy, alienation by the rest of the society and because they are “not released to education, training or employment opportunities.”

“These shortcomings are quite unfortunate because it needs no crystal ball to show that if prisoners are satisfactorily rehabilitated and the re-entry process to the community is smooth and unencumbered, the re-offending rate will reduce,” he noted.

Tuesday’s expo saw demonstration by four groups of inmates of skills they have mastered in desktop publishing, graphic design, landscaping, home design and video editing.

The machines were donated to the facility by entrepreneur Kevin Wallen, who was motivated by a visit to the facility almost six years ago.

“When I came here, the inmates were just roaming in the yard, idle, having nothing to do,” he said.

His initiative has since seen the establishment of a similar programme at Fort Augusta Women’s Prison.

The computer skills were taught to the inmates by Professor Charles Nesson of the Berkman Centre for Internet at Harvard University.

“What I am doing is just to amplify something that’s happening,” Nesson, a law professor, told the Observer.

“By working with this SET group, what I do is support the work that Mr Wallen is doing by supplying some equipment and software to help these inmates make a connection.”

Professor Nesson, only a day earlier had opened a computer lab that his Berkman Centre set up at the Tower Street Correctional Centre.

The inmates who participated in the expo believe that their newly acquired skills would carry them a far way in terms of their reintegration into society.

“Since I enrolled in this programme I have seen many results,” said one inmate. “Firstly my vocabulary has widened and I can do things with the computer that I never dreamed of. In fact, when I was incarcerated six years ago, I knew nothing about computers but now I can guarantee society that I do have something to offer.”

Kellier, in the meanwhile, urged the inmates to maximise the training they have received to ensure that they are “marketable and employable” on their discharge from the institution.

– martina@jamaicaobserver.com