WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1977
2
THIS ACTS AS A DETERRENT TO THE MAJORITY OF THE PRISONERS WHO WANT NO PART OF THE PROGRAMME WHICH IS ENFORCED IN THIS BLOCK, INCLUDING THE VERY RIGID DISCIPLINE, THE VERY CLOSE SUPERVISION AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF A PRISON RULE WHICH ALLOWS FOR A PRISONER TO WORK IN HIS CELL.
*THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NOW SOME 20 EMPTY CELLS IN THIS BLOCK IS A WELCOME SIGN ALTHOUGH WE KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT IT WILL NOT STAY THAT WAY FOR LONG, HE SAID.
THE REDUCTION IN THE POPULATION OF STANLEY PRISON HAS ENABLED THE DEPARTMENT TO ACCOMMODATE MORE LONG-TERM PRISONERS, ONE PER CELL AS OPPOSED TO THREE PER CELL WHICH IS NORMALLY THE RULE WHEN SEVERE OVERCROWDING OCCURS. PRESENTLY, THERE ARE SOME 1,286 PRISONERS ACCOMMODATED ONE PER CELL AND 678 PRISONERS THREE PER CELL.
ON JUVENILE DELINQUENTS, THE COMMISSIONER SAID THAT WE HAD NOW ACHIEVED A POSITION WHEREBY ALL YOUNG OFFENDERS UNDER THE AGE OF 21 WERE HOUSED IN SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION, THEY WERE ALSO EXPOSED TO PROGRAMMES ESPECIALLY GEARED TO THEIR NEEDS (THAT IS APART FROM SOME 10 YOUNG OFFENDERS WHO ARE PRESENTLY GRADED CATEGORY 'A' AND WHO ARE HOUSED IN STANLEY PRISON FOR SECURITY REASONS).
+HOWEVER, IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, THEY TOO WILL BE TRANSFERRED ELSEWHERE,+ MR. GARNER SAID. +THIS IS NO SMALL ACHIEVEMENT AND SOMETHING WHICH IS AS YET TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE U.K. AND IN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES.+
THE COMMISSIONER SAID THIS REFLECTED THE CONCERN OF THE AUTHORITIES TO ENSURE THAT PRISONERS WERE ADEQUATELY ACCOMMODATED AND LOOKED AFTER.
+FOR LET US MAKE NO MISTAKE, HE EMPHASISED, +PRISONERS ARE PEOPLE AND WE MUST AT ALL TIMES PRESERVE THE DIGNITY OF MAN AND FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES WHICH ARE CLEARLY LAID DOWN FOR OUR PROFESSION. THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM FOR FIRM DISCIPLINE, CONTROL AND GOOD SUPERVISION, BUT ABSOLUTELY NONE FOR BRUTALITY OR INADEQUATE TREATMENT.+
MR. GARNER REVEALED THAT ON AUGUST 1, THE DEPARTMENT HAD EMBARKED ON A NEW SCHEME FOR A YOUNG ADULT DETENTION CENTRE WHICH WOULD CATER FOR THE 21 - 24 AGE GROUP. THIS PROGRAMME PROVIDES FOR A MINIMUM DETENTION PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS AND A MAXIMUM OF 12 MONTHS FOLLOWED BY A COMPULSORY PERIOD OF ONE YEAR'S AFTER-CARE. THIS IS IN CONTRAST TO THE PROGRAMME FOR THE UNDER 21 WHICH PROVIDES FOR A MINIMUM OF ONE MONTH TO A MAXIMUM OF SIX.
WITHOUT DOUBT, THE COMMISSIONER SAID, THE DETENTION CENTRE PROGRAMME WHICH HAS NOW BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR OVER FIVE YEARS WAS A SUCCESS,
REFERRING TO THE RECENT CREATION OF A POST FOR GENERAL MANAGER OF PRISON INDUSTRIES, THE COMMISSIONER SAID HE HOPED THIS VACANCY WOULD BE FILLED BY SEPTEMBER.
/ALTHOUGH