Governor endorses ‘electronic tags’ for non-violent prisoners
Governor John Rankin, who shares portfolio responsibility for prisons with the Minister of Health is hoping that electronic tags will be implemented for non-violent inmates being housed at His Majesty’s Majesty’s Prison in Balsam Ghut.
Rankin gave that indication during a press conference on Tuesday where he highlighted several challenges facing the facility. One of those challenges is the extended period persons spend on remand while they await trial in the local courts.
Admitting that this is “a challenge”, Governor Rankin said: “We need to make the court procedures as efficient as possible and we need the police and prosecutorial services and the defence lawyers to assist in that progress,” Rankin stated.
But as reforms are executed in the judiciary, Rankin said electronic tags for inmates could also be beneficial.
“One of the areas on which I would wish to see progress … would be to see if we can have electronic tags in the territory, which would allow some of those who are currently on remand — if they are not potentially dangerous prisoners — to actually be at home with electronic tags rather than having to spend time in prison which may not actually be helpful to their own development,” Rankin told members of the media.
However, he described the implementation of these tags as a costly venture which would have to be budgeted for. He noted that those financial decisions are ‘out of his hands’.
The prison launched an ankle monitoring pilot programme back in prison 2016 but based on all indications, that programme bore little to no fruit.
Staffing and welfare problems
Meanwhile, according to the governor, other challenges highlighted at the prison include staffing and welfare issues.
“The UK government has provided new mattresses and basic materials to allow the welfare of the prisoners to be increased. And yes, there are problems in relation to the numbers of prison officers and I hope that they can be resolved through — first of all — increased recruitment into vacancies,” Rankin stated.
He noted that his office is engaging with the government’s Human Resources Department “to confirm the appointments and promotions of prison officers”.
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Electronic tags?
What happened to the territory wide traffic/roadside CCTV?
All this talk about eroding our rights but that CCTV alone would have people think thrice about how & if they will get away after a crime.
The best deterrent would be actually solving cases swiftly.
Not taking away all semblance of private citizenship. Which is exactly what warrantless searches is all about.
Slavery is over and we dont want any part of that slave-and-master culture the UK has yet to self reflect upon!
I want the UK to apologize as the Netherlands saw fit to do. Until that day it is very safe to believe transatlantic, sugar cane slave labor profited, human rights abusing racism is alive and well at the top tiers of the UK hierarchy.
The very ‘elites’ the Governor takes his orders from as he doesn’t take them from the PEOPLE.
We dont want any of the DEA FBI CIA LOW IQ TROOPER police-state culture that is destroying America from within as its citizens are treated as terrorist rather than people.
Anyone remember Edward Snowden exposing that government, yet nothing happened except he was forced to run to Russia.
Thats where we are headed. They will say its for our safety. Just like the vaccine. Well sah we need a COI on that right about now.
We are tired of being taken as fools.
Many people are happy when reporters really question the UK narrative & people are vigilant that some of these reporters waste valuable press conference time asking contrived nonconsequential questions.
Hush.., BVI is Now simply rubbish . No choice left but to be treated as such.
@Longgone if you feel that way why dont you find somewhere else to live.
Sounds good. Hope they make it clear that a person shall not be remanded for more than 1 yr, without been charged, after that they must be released and can either be freed or re- arrested for the same offence but an accused cannot be freed twice and be arrested for the same offence,. The prison is over populated with the remanded population..I will also like to see in the act the obedience to a lawful order. When an officer arrested someone and told them that they are under arrest and command them to put their hand infront or behind to be hand cuff and that person refused that be considered resisting arrest, that officer can now summon the appropriate help and back up. Don’t like the idea of 1 or 2 officers putting hands or getting in a scuffle with a resisting accused, it too risky and often create a public show, so the old law of an officer has to hold you in order to affect an arrest should be no more, an official order & command should be enough..
George Orwell could have consulted on this endeavor if he was still alive!