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1240/5(1996)
QUESTION TO BE ASKED OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOME AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY, 4th NOVEMBER 2003 BY THE DEPUTY OF ST. MARTIN
Question
On 7th October 2003, in answer to a question regarding the release of prisoners for home leave or outside work, the President stated that prisoners are currently eligible for consideration for outside work scheme after having served half of the custody period.
- W ould the Presidentinformmembersifany prisoners have been releasedon a discretionary basis for outside workorhomeleavebefore they have served half their custody period, if theanswer is in the affirmative would the President give reasons fortheearlyrelease?
- W h endidtheaboveschemes begin and was the Committeeawareoftheir implementation?
- H o w manyprisonershavebeenreleasedundertheschemes during the last12months?
- H o w manyprisonersare currently enjoying the privilege of early releaseunder the schemes? Answer
- O n the7thOctober2003, I alsomade a statementinwhich I informed the Assembly that theCommittee would be commissioning an independent report on the operation of prison temporary release. The Committee appointedDr.DebbieKing, formerly the Island's Chief Probation Officer,to carry out the report. She has completedher enquiries and is presently writing the report. I expect to receive the first draft in the next week. Part (a) of the question was included in hertermsof reference anditwould therefore be inappropriate topre-empt her findings. The report will bepresented in due course.
- T h e present Committee delegated thepower to grant temporary release under Prison Rule 73(2) to the Prison Governorat its second meeting on the 16th January 2003.The previous Home Affairs Committee had formerly given the Prison Governor the samedelegation. In its time, the Prison Board first introduced an experimentalhomeleavescheme in September1993. In March 1995, the Board endorsedan outside work scheme.
- O v er the last 12months, out of a totalof563 prisoners, 124 have been involved in temporaryrelease schemes.Of the 124, 29 have also been tagged'undertheTemporaryReleaseMonitoringSchemeof which14remain tagged'. The 124 prisoners ontemporary release comprisedof89adult males, 12adult females,20 male young offendersand 3 female young offenders.
- T h ere are currently no prisonersonhomeleaveorany other form oftemporary release except for nine prisoners currently engaged in the outside work scheme.