ASSISTANT project coordinator at the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) Clive Griffiths said he is eagerly anticipating the introduction of a digital system to replace the difficult paper-based system that has been used at the island’s prisons for decades.

“It’s an archaic system. It’s fully paper-based. We have some books that predate my time, some books that weigh at least 25 pounds. When I open them, there’s a lot of dust, so the system is really difficult to track inmates and even account for basic information on inmates,” Griffiths told the Jamaica Observer following the signing ceremony for the project at the Ministry of National Security on Wednesday.

“To find information on a specific inmate, it would take up to an hour, the efficiency was really bad and the electronic system will make a big difference,” added Griffiths after it was announced that a digital data collection system will replace the tedious paper-based process at the DCS in an effort to strengthen its management and efficiency.

The prison management system was developed at a cost of more than $117 million through a partnership involving the DCS, Synergy International Systems, the Inter-American Development Bank and the Ministry of National Security.

The new system is expected to allow more efficient tracking of inmates, easier sharing of information to other stakeholders such as Jamaica Constabulary Force and courts and real time capturing of analysis of information.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security Courtney Williams said he is pleased that the DCS is joining the global community by adding information system which will better aid in decision-making.

“The DCS is challenged with the system of record management. This cumbersome task of collecting data manually using over 40 different books remains a risk to the efficient functioning of the organisation. In addition, the absence of a system wide access to records, due to the lack of a single or central repository form of inmate information, continues to compromise the integrity of the data collected and managed,” said Williams.

“The implementation of this integrated management system will bring about well needed benefits of all stakeholders involved in the supervising, rehabilitating and reintegration of offenders,” added Williams as he noted that the full roll-out of the of the programme will start in less than two years.