KINGSTON, Jamaica — Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis says that the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has not been determining the risk profile and rehabilitation needs of inmates entering the correctional facilities.

In addition, she says that the DCS could not demonstrate to her office that their rehabilitation activities are meeting the needs of inmates, and that there were no structured rehabilitation opportunities to address the needs of certain categories of adult offenders, including mentally challenged inmates, and those convicted for sexual and drug abuse offences.

However, she said the rehabilitation programme for juveniles was more structured, and juveniles were participating in education programmes, and some form of vocational or recreational rehabilitation and counselling activities.

“We also found that the DCS’s re-offending rate may not be reflective of the total reoffending inmates in its correctional facilities, as it excludes inmates with previous non-custodial sentences.

Monroe Ellis said that the performance audit was planned to determine whether DCS has effective strategies and programmes in place to rehabilitate inmates with previous non-custodial sentences, which is necessary to contribute to achieving the national development targets under Vision 2030.