Concerns expressed during Tuesday’s Justice Committee of Parliament meeting about the current lack of detention space are legitimate. This leads to many sentences not being effectively enforced, raising doubts about the entire judicial system and its integrity, sending a wrong message that could even embolden would-be delinquents.
The project to build a new prison at the present site in Point Blanche apparently won’t be competed until 2028, which means very little can be done about the lack of capacity in the penitentiary for the next three years. Moreover, temporarily facilities will be needed during construction.
The plan is hold a round-table involving stakeholders on the issue. A behind-closed-doors Central Committee meeting with Justice Minster Nathalie Tackling and her support staff was mentioned.
The latter had only read about all this in the newspaper on her way to work before attending Wednesday’s press briefing, but did not seem opposed to the idea. She emphasised that a lot is already taking place to deal with these issues, although limited material and human resources play a role.
This discussion brings to mind the container cells. Brought to Bonaire when the Caribbean Netherlands jail was being built, they were later given to St. Maarten and the Royal Dutch navy transported them here to assist with precisely this situation.
However, the container cells were never used as intended due to the need of accompanying infrastructure etcetera. They ended up near rehabilitation centre Turning Point, but also there remain unused because funds for fencing, utilities, extra security and other conditions are lacking.
Granted, placing such cells outside the prison wall would indeed create challenges, but they could have been restricted to low escape-risk inmates with short sentences for less serious offences.
Ankle bracelets for electronic supervision is another example of potentially helpful means in this regard. Government found itself in conflict with a supplier at one point and the devices now available are reportedly rarely used for practical reasons including the criteria.
Perhaps these and other common-sense solutions could mitigate the problem at least somewhat.
