Prison Riot at Fort Agusta

Two correctional officers had to seek medical attention this evening as a week-long protest by juveniles at the Fort Agusta women\'s prison in St Catherine escalated.



It is reported that a female officer was stabbed on her hand by one of the irate juveniles. Earlier, another officer was reportedly doused with faeces and urine by other juveniles. She was treated at the Spanish Town Hospital.



The acting commissioner of corrections, June Jarrett, or the deputy commissioner of custody, Shirley Johnson, could not be reached for comment.



But the chairman of the Jamaica Federation of Correctional Officers, Maurice Jones said the situation had become very serious.



\"The juveniles are throwing faeces and urine on the officers,\" he said, adding that the senior superintendent of the Fort Agusta prison was among several correctional officers doused over the past week.



According to Jones, the chaos started after a group of female juveniles was transferred from the Armadale Juvenile Correctional Facility to Fort Agusta because of security reasons.



As Jones related his concerns to the The Gleaner/Power 106 News a short while ago, there was constant uproar from the prison. He said the juveniles were refusing to go into their dorms. According to Jones, some of the juveniles had even stripped off their clothes to make it difficult for the officers to restrain them.



Jones said the young inmates who had formed a clique, were demanding to speak with Jarrett.



But to make matters worse, he said, adult inmates, incensed by the behaviour of the juveniles had also started to protest.



According to the federation of correctional officers head, the adult inmates are demanding that the juveniles be removed from Fort Augusta.