Talk show host Doug Wheatley is concerned that prisoners at Her Majesty’s Prison in Balsam Ghut may not be properly rehabilitated before they are released back into society. Photo: VINO/File

According to Doug Wheatley, society may be in for problems if rehabilitation programmes are not effective or offered at Her Majesty’s Prison at Balsam Ghut. Photo: VINO/File

Speaking on his show on ZBVI 780 AM on May 30, 2017, Mr Wheatley said it was critical that inmates are rehabilitated before they are freed.

“What is taking place in our prison? Are we rehabilitating our prisoners? Are we succeeding in that or are some of our prisoners becoming radicalised? And I don’t mean radicalised in the sense of becoming terrorists,” stated Mr Wheatley.

According to the retired civil servant, “In the prison you have young people and then you have other persons who perhaps could be influenced by some of the more hardened persons in the business. Then these young persons would come out of the prison and when they come out of the prison and if they are not rehabilitated then they may become more hardened in their criminal type activities and so forth.”

The talk show host said society may be in for problems if rehabilitation programmes are not effective or offered.

“All you have to do is look at the United States and some other places and see that there are gangs in the prison and when they leave prison they are more harden and so we have to be very, very careful about our prison.”

‘Innocent persons in jail’

Meanwhile, one caller to the programme spoke about how hardened criminals are influencing and taking advantage of other inmates, some of whom he described as innocent.

“Unfortunately, we are putting innocent people in prison right now. In fact, I know of some persons right now in the prison that are being mutilated by the harden prisoners and if you were to really look into that situation, they probably don’t need to be in that environment at all.”

6 inmates recently completed rehabilitative course

It was only recently that six inmates of Her Majesty’s Prison became the first cohort of a Skill for Life rehabilitative course.

The inmates received their certificates having completed the programme, which is accredited through National Health Service Solutions.”

Program coordinator, Mr Walter D. Barrett had said the course covered topics such as Money Management and Budgeting, Family Life, Substance Abuse Awareness, Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, Understanding Perception, and Personality Trait Identification.

Mr Barrett said, “At the end of the course, it is hoped that inmates enrolled in the program would have gained added tools not only for life in prison, but more importantly, for life upon their release as they reintegrate into society.”