The police told us so... Public Defender standing by report on children in SOE detention

Public Defender Arlene Harrison Henry is standing by data contained in her report to Parliament about the number of children who have been detained in St James under the State of Public Emergency.

In the report, the Office of the Public Defender said 105 children had been held over the period January 18 to October 31.

However, last week, the Office of the Children’s Advocate reported that based on its investigations, less than a quarter of the 105 children were, in fact, minors.

Speaking this afternoon on RJR’s Hotline, Harrison Henry said the information she provided was obtained from the police.

"I stand by that," Harrison Henry said.

She said the police data had even listed 23 other people with 2018 as their year of birth.

However, Harrison Henry said she did not include those cases in her analysis and report to Parliament.

The Public Defender also said since her report to Parliament last month, the police have stopped sending to her daily updates about detainees.

In her report to Parliament, the Public Defender had also cited poor physical conditions at the Freeport detention centre in Montego Bay and inadequate nutrition for detainees.

She said despite the complaints, detainees are still being fed on $300 a day.

Police account of children in detention

January – 10
February – 12
March – 8
April – 11
May – 7
June – 5
July – 13
August – 12
September – 12
October – 11
November – 8

- November 29, 2018

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