New parole rules

By March next year a parole system will be in place at HMP Dodds Prisons to allow for the early release of inmates serving sentences four years or longer, and who have displayed good behaviour.

This was explained last night by Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite after the House of Assembly passed a bill amending the Prisons Act that, among other things, allows for the conditional release of prisoners, the setting up of a Prisoners Release Board (PRB) and the abolition of corporal punishment in jail.

Explaining the move to the MIDWEEK NATION, Brathwaite pointed out there had been provision in the law for the minister to grant early release to prisoners, but since he had become Attorney General he had never received such a request and he never granted any parole.

However, he explained further that Government had been advised that such power in the hands of a minister raised questions about the “separation of powers” and as a result, the decision was taken to vest the power for early release in the hands of a board.

Please read the full story in today’s Midweek Nation, or in the eNATION edition.