JSC: Prisoner’s bank visit risk to public

The report was in relation to an incident on November 24, 2016 where a remand detainee accused of murder was allowed to conduct business at a bank while not in handcuffs and with members of the public present and unaware of his presence.

The JSC, chaired by Laventille East/Morvant MP Fitzgerald Hinds, conducted a public hearing on December 8, 2016 with Prison Service officials, including Prisons Commissioner Sterling Stewart, and received both oral and written submissions.

The JSC noted a submission from the Prison Service on January 4, 2017 which revealed that 61 requests were made by inmates/ detainees (not including Youth Training Centre) during the period 2015-2016 with 51 of these requests to view a corpse. The JSC reported that 20 of the people granted access were charged with murder which is a “direct contradiction” with a policy stated in a 1987 prison document which prohibits prisoners under sentence of death and inmates on murder charges from being granted access to this facility.

“The committee is thus dissatisfied with the conduct of the officials of the Prison Service,” the report stated.

The JSC pointed out that no steps were taken to effectively communicate with the TT Police Service (TTPS) on the prisoner’s bank visit.

“The committee finds it inexcusable that prison officials failed to inform the TTPS of the November 24, 2016 visit of a prisoner to a bank, as is required in its own policy in relation to the granting of access for the viewing of a corpse.” The JSC also reported that prison officials had failed to adequately prepare for the public hearing in December and had failed to conduct in-depth investigations.

The JSC stated there was no policy governing the granting of access to detainees/inmates to services outside of the prison facility other than the policy to grant access for the viewing of a corpse. In its recommendations, the JSC stated that as an immediate measure the Commissioner of Prisons should complete and implement the provisions of the draft policy on inmates leaving the prison in instances other than court, clinic and programmes “at the earliest occasion to prevent recurrence of the incident in question.” The JSC also advised the Prison Service rules should include framework policy to allow for access to critically needed external services by prisoners who qualify, and these rules should clearly define the communication protocols that must be followed between the Prison Service and the TTPS on all such occasions.

The JSC also stressed that “the safety and protection of citizens should be of paramount importance on all such occasions.” Other suggestions included alternative arrangements for access to critically needed services by detainees/inmates in secured locations within prison facilities.