HM Prison “a breeding ground for better criminals” — Masa
Former inmate Ramoamasagana “Masa” Pemberton has described the lone Virgin Islands prison as a place that fails to rehabilitate offenders, instead creating conditions where inmates become “better criminals”.
Speaking at the Anti-Crime Summit, Pemberton recalled his experience in 2016 and 2017, saying there were few proper programmes in place to help inmates.
“When you talk about sufficient programs in place to rehabilitate the minds of a criminal, at that point in time, there was somewhat little to none,” Pemberton stated.
He explained that tensions inside the facility often escalated.
“Even inside of the prison, there was a fight for a meal because you would have a problem with someone. And then I feel as though that the institution couldn’t separate the troublemakers from the people that are just trying to get by the time until that time has expired. So we’ve seen instances where, and again, people have lost their lives inside of the prison,” he said.
Pemberton said he and other inmates tried to create positive initiatives themselves, including sports tournaments and arts projects.
“I was one of those prisoners who went into the prison and made my own programs,” he explained. “We were also positive people inside of the prison, trying to make that change, and with hopes that we would have gotten some sort of support with the movement.”
Despite these efforts, he argued that the environment worked against rehabilitation. “When it comes to the rehabilitation of a criminal, I always used to say, well, geez Louise, this is a breeding ground for better criminals,” Pemberton insisted.
His comments echo long-standing concerns about His Majesty’s Prison at Balsam Ghut, which has faced criticism over security lapses and limited rehabilitation services. In recent years, reports have highlighted issues including overcrowding, inadequate facilities, and the mixing of juvenile offenders with hardened criminals.
Officials also acknowledged that a 13-year-old was being held at the adult prison, sparking debate about the absence of a juvenile detention centre.
Governor Daniel Pruce, speaking at the same summit, said the prison needed further investment and improvements. He noted that while progress had been made, challenges remained with facilities and resources, especially for housing young offenders in line with international standards.
Pemberton stressed that change must come from within the system. He said the most influential mentors he encountered were not officials but older prisoners serving life sentences who had decided to steer younger inmates away from repeating their mistakes.
The summit continues today, bringing together government leaders, law enforcement, and community members to discuss crime prevention and rehabilitation in the territory.
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Prisons have always been places to hone one’s criminality.
They go in with a degree in crime and come out with a doctorate in crime.
🙂
Some of them use the time, to sit down and talk amongst each other about ways to be better at crime when they are released.
Things were better 45 years ago in the old prison on main street.
My program for prisoners on all aspects of the creative arts not only motivated one inmate to develop his own talents, but I learnt years later that he had worked hard to see his daughter through art school.
The old prison was next door to the church and in a touching gesture every one of the inmates, together with prison wardens and the government minister, attended my first wife’s Memorial Service. I understand that it was the first time the prison doors had been locked from the outside.
For years the inmates have been allowed to live it up at the “5 Star Resort” posting on social media with drugs,money,jewelry,etc. Weak borders have been the reason for the flow of drugs & ammo into the territory, so let’s not act like we don’t know the reason for crime. The law needs to step up their game and let’s see action instead of gathering and singing kumbaya, did you guys highlight the names & pics of the victims of crime here in the BVI at your summit?
Don’t forget smoking weed
If it is such a great environment for learning perhaps the Education Department should be up there taking some notes.
For the right students maybe the last years of school could be at the prison for the best results.
From Good to Great was Andrew Fahie’s moto.
He would be proud.
This Anti-crime summit not even into its second day and man getting release of gold chains..goes to show aint nobody care about no crime summit. Empty vessels makes the most noises.
People talk with glowing lips and words but little action
Everything now is optics
Aragon showed them how to print shirts with silk screen.
Either you donot listen or you just playing deaf.
Hopefully the anticrime summit will prove worthwhile. But government needs to stop closing Station Avenue and sending vehicle traffic through Johns Hole every time government officials are attending something at the Multi Purpose Complex.
For the past two days during morning rush hour it took me almost half a hour to get from the corner by Althea Scatliffe Primary School to the Hunthums Gut exit of the Johns Hole road. That road is basically a one lane residential road and is a complete bottle neck with heavy traffic. Ayo come better man.
That 2 lane mark out they did by the Tamarind Tree near the Botanic Gardens is a recipe for an accident.
Even before that mark out, a vehicle would see your vehicle in front waiting for the clear to head straight or turn right and pull up to the right or left of you preventing you from seeing if a vehicle is coming.
Remove that marking unless there are installation of traffic lights.
Learn to drive..The lanes are a good idea. If I’m going straight I should not have to wait behind someone making a right turn.
My opinion on this is that; the prison failing to rehabilitate criminals is a result of poor governance and is directly tied to the corruption that has recently come to light.
Why should citizens follow the law if the authorities and public servants abuse their power to break the same laws and get away with it.
For example, If I get sent to prison for drugs I could not take it seriously.
May I suggest we have a pot hole summit next please. This seems to be something we really excel at.
That the hole in the road kind, not the one you smoke.
Need legislation to allow citizens to own firearms.
THAT WAS REALLY FUNNY – A LIL HUMOR IS GOOD IN THESE TIMES , IF THESE WANNABE GANSTERS WOULD USE HUMOR INSTEAD OF ” VIOLENCE ” , WE WON’T HAVE ALL THESE SET CRIMES / BUT THEN AGAIN , MOST OF THE CRIMES COMMITTED ARE BY TJISE ON DRUGS , SO THATS THE PROBLEM / ” WHEN YO HOOKED YO HOOKED ” AND THERE IS NO FACILITY HERD FOR DRUG REHABILITATION ) THOSE TGAT ARE TREATED ARE REALEASED INTO THE SAME ENVIRONMENT WHICH THEY GOT HOOKED ON DRUGS AND ITS LIKE A REVOLVING DOOR / DRUGS – GUNS – ROBBERY KILLING BALO OR BONE YARD , ITS THE NEW NORM FOR THEM / ALONG WITH THEIR * KIA – SOUL – OR THEIR SCOOTERS AND THEIR BLING BLING
People have no solutions for crime in the BVI but offer little to nothing for young adults to do. No pool halls no community center in the East End Long Look area no Dance hall for them to interact with their peers and then people are surprised they sit on corners smoking weed or drinking. If you give them no alternative then what you see is the result.
I like that, “A breeding ground “ right up my “alley “
Getting a proper rehab program is a fleeting illusion.