We expect that by now National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang, members of his senior staff, and the police high command have seen for themselves, following disputed allegations of scandalously unsanitary conditions at specific police lock-ups.

We also expect that soon the public will be made aware of the true situation from the perspective of Dr Chang and others in authority.

Readers will recall that over the last week this newspaper has reported on complaints from a number of former detainees at lock-ups in Kingston about experiences that are inhumane at best. If true, the conditions described pose a public health risk.

Among other things, our reporter was told of detainees being restricted, in some cases, to just one toilet visit per day, and individuals being forced to defecate in bags which previously contained meals brought by visitors.

They spoke of horrifyingly unhygienic conditions in the bathroom at one lock-up in which detainees allegedly showered while standing in water containing faeces.

We note that the allegations have been backed up to a considerable extent by lawyers who visit lock-ups to speak to their clients. The attorneys tell of the overwhelming, unmistakable stench of body waste.

Dr Chang reportedly expressed disbelief and a senior police officer, commander for the Kingston Western Police Division, Senior Superintendent Michael Phipps, categorically denied allegations regarding the Denham Town Police lock-up.

However, what Jamaicans have heard for as long as anyone can remember is that conditions in lock-ups are mostly unsatisfactory, especially given the reality that the people there are awaiting their day in court. Lest we forget, a person charged with a criminal offence should be deemed innocent until proven guilty. Former prison chaplain Rev Herro Blair Jr tells us that “the Jamaican system is one that crosses a line, in terms of the human rights of the individual. Just being in a police lock-up and seeing rats that look like cats and sleeping on the floor when you’ve not been proven guilty can terrorise the minds of the ordinary person”.

And we note the comment from commanding officer for the St Andrew South Division, Senior Superintendent Kirk Ricketts that “… none of the lock-ups [are in ideal condition], given that the persons [there] are all presumed innocent until proven guilty”. And that human beings “should be housed in conditions that are suitable. I’ll tell you, though, we try our best, given the resources, to ensure that the lock-ups are habitable”.

Mr Ricketts, we suspect, hit on the crux of the matter when he mentioned “… resources …”

In Jamaica’s crime-ridden environment, with the great majority of people very hostile to those accused or convicted of criminal offences, expenditure on upgrading police lock-ups and correctional facilities won’t win votes.

We suspect that the opposite could be closer to the truth.

Yet it must be done if we are to consider ourselves a modern, civilised society and also command the respect of human rights advocates and the international community.

In that regard, we await further word from the Government on the planned, much-needed, modern, high-security prison spoken about by Prime Minister Andrew Holness a year ago.

With elections now just beyond the horizon, talk of prisons — like police lock-ups — is probably not sexy. But Jamaicans need to know.