KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – Local inmates may soon be allowed conjugal visits, says Minister of National Security, Robert Montague.

A conjugal visit is a scheduled period in which an inmate of a prison or jail is permitted to spend time in private with a visitor, usually a legal spouse.

“I am determined and insistent that we are going to start conjugal visits and some persons ask me why, but we must treat with (incarcerated persons) in a humane way. A lot of us (say) that we are Christians but true Christianity is when you do for the least amongst us, so we are working on that,” he said.

The minister was making a presentation at the Jamaica 55 Diaspora Conference yesterday at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

In the meantime, Montague informed that cell phone jammers and security cameras have been reinstalled in the island’s prisons in a bid to reduce criminal activity by inmates.

He said the ministry is also working on the regulatory framework for the deportation policy.

“We are strengthening our emergency safety net by effectively reintegrating deportees in our society. We are strengthening the capacity of the local authorities to mainstream migration planning and service provisions,” he noted.

On the matter of rehabilitation, Montague said the Government continues to put measures in place to reform prisoners and reduce repeat offending, which is currently at 47 per cent.

He informed that food produced by inmates goes towards the preparation of meals in adult institutions twice per week and the Ministry is working to strengthen this area.

He also said that inmates have been reclassified to separate hardened criminals from low-level offenders.

The biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference is being held from July 23 to 26 under the theme: ‘Partnering for Growth’.