Draft prison survey will address rehabilitation model- for submission in September

GUYANA, GINA, Wednesday, May 17, 2017

The prison survey which is being facilitated by the Citizen Security Strengthening Programme’s (CSSP) component three, and facilitated by the University of Guyana, is expected to submit a draft report by September 2017.

This was disclosed by Project Manager, Clement Henry during an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA). Henry pointed out that the university has successfully completed the data collection process in all the five prison locations.

“ They are now doing regular statistical process which is the data cleaning, once that is completed, they will now forward the data to UNTREF (National University of Tres de Febrero) for analysis,” Henry explained.

UNTREF is an Argentine University assisting in the crafting of a rehabilitation and reintegration model for ex-offenders. That institution is expected to submit a draft report of the findings by September 2017, after which a review will be carried out, and the final report submitted by November.

The survey which represents component three of the CSSP programme is expected to finance a sustainable re-entry by assessing rehabilitation, and reintegration needs across the prison system, develop a rehabilitation and reintegration model based on the needs assessments, and the outputs of the survey, develop a case management programme to support and track inmate progress and offer training to the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) staff on delivering rehabilitation and reintegration services.

Professor Ernest Uwazie, an expert on Inmate Rehabilitation and Reintegration was hired for technical and strategic advice to the Project Executing Unit (PEU) with the aim of designing rehabilitation and social reintegration services for prison inmates.

However, Henry noted that the professor will be conducting a separate analysis focused specially on strengthening the administration of the prisons. The analysis, coupled with the report coming from the survey, is expected to foster a better rehabilitation process at the prisons.

Henry stated that “we will combine these two findings from the prison expert and the university analysis. We think that will give us enough information to develop a module and strategy for rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders and ex-offenders.”

The sum of US$74,200 has been allocated for the survey. Faculty staff, from both Turkeyen and Tain campuses, including medical and legal personnel, mathematicians, criminologist and social workers will comprise the core team leading the survey. Additionally, 30 students from the university will be trained in data collection to assist the team in conducting the survey.

 

By: Isaiah Braithwaite