Dear Editor,

Stand Up Jamaica (SUFJ) and Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) are once again urging the Government to take immediate and decisive action to address the severe overcrowding and deplorable conditions in Jamaica’s correctional facilities.

The recent influenza outbreak at the Tower Street and St Catherine adult correctional centres highlights the systemic failings that have long-plagued these institutions, endangering both inmates and staff.

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has confirmed the outbreak and suspended visits to all correctional facilities for two weeks in an effort to contain the spread. However, this temporary measure cannot resolve the underlying issue of overcrowding.

Tower Street and St Catherine are operating at more than double their capacity, making isolation and quarantine impossible. Inmates are forced to endure inhumane conditions, including inadequate access to bathrooms, overcrowded cells, and insufficient health care, creating a breeding ground for disease and furthering human rights violations.

These conditions are particularly concerning for vulnerable groups, including individuals living with HIV, mentally ill inmates who lack access to proper medication, and LGBTQ+ individuals who face heightened risks in custody. This crisis underscores the urgent need for long-term solutions to protect the health, dignity, and rights of those in state custody.

JFJ and SUFJ are calling for the following actions:

1) Immediate medical interventions: Ensure that inmates requiring specialised care are transferred to appropriate medical facilities, as provided under Section 28 of the Corrections Act. Adequately equip correctional facilities with medical supplies and personnel to manage outbreaks.

2) Infrastructure overhaul: Commit to constructing new, modern correctional facilities to reduce overcrowding and meet international standards for detention. Current infrastructure is outdated, unsafe, and unable to meet the demands of a growing prison population.

3) Sentencing reform: Implement and expand non-custodial sentencing options, such as diversion programmes and probation, to reduce the number of individuals being incarcerated for non-violent offences. This will not only ease overcrowding but also promote rehabilitative justice.

4) Improvement of current facilities: Allocate resources to improve the living conditions in existing prisons, ensuring that all detainees have access to basic necessities such as sanitation, clean water, and medical care. Rehabilitation efforts will remain futile if prisoners are forced to live in degrading environments.

The DCS and its medical staff should be commended for their efforts to manage this outbreak, but these efforts alone cannot overcome the structural failings of Jamaica’s correctional system. The Government must act decisively to prevent similar crises. Addressing these issues is not just a matter of public health but a moral imperative to uphold the dignity and rights of all, including those in custody.

This outbreak is a stark reminder of what happens when long-standing calls for reform go unheeded. JFJ and SUFJ stand united in demanding urgent action to protect the health and safety of incarcerated individuals, correctional staff, and the wider public.

Maria Carla Gullotta

Executive director

Stand Up For Jamaica

carlajamaica51@gmail.com

Jade Williams

Policy and Advocacy Specialist

Jamaicans for Justice

jwilliams@jamaicansforjustice.org