Lay magistrates want gov't to address conditions at detention facilities

The Lay Magistrates' Association of Jamaica is calling for the Government to immediately begin to address the inhumane conditions at police lockups, holding areas and detention centres.

Public Defender Arlene Harrison Henry recently presented a report to Parliament in which she raised concerns about overcrowding and insanitary conditions at locations where detainees under the State of Public Emergency in St James are being held.

The association, in a statement, said that justices of the peace should re-double their efforts to visit police lockups and detention centres across the island, noting that this is one of their core function to ensure that these facilities are in a condition which is fit for human habitation.

Full Statement

The Lay Magistrates' Association of Jamaica (LMAJ) is now calling for its membership and all Justices of the Peace to re-double their efforts re-visitation of police lockups and detention centres across the island.

This has become necessary following reports of inhumane conditions at police lockups and detention centres.

The LMAJ has pointed to the severity of conditions which has led to the closure of all police lockup and holding areas at stations in the parish of Hanover and the transfer of prisoners to the Barnett Street Police lockup in Montego Bay which is already overcrowded.

The Management of the LMAJ is, therefore, reminding its members and Justices of the Peace that one of their core function is to conduct weekly inspections of police locks and holding areas/detention centres in their respective parish to ensure that these facilities are in a condition which is fit for human habitation.

At the same time, the Management of the LMAJ is calling for the government to immediately begin the address the inhumane conditions existing at police lockups/holding areas/detention centres.

The LMAJ is also calling on the business sector to enter into a public/private partnership with the government for the timely improvement of the conditions at police lockups and detention centres islandwide.

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