Up to $1506 can be spent on an inmate in a month, it was revealed yesterday.

Fiji Corrections Service Assistant Commissioner Salote Panapasa said this while making her submissions on the Community Based Correction Bill 2016 before the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights.

This is inclusive of an inmate’s sustenance and going through rehabilitation programmes.

Example: For the first half of this year, around $2.1million was spent for only just 200 inmates.

Ms Panapasa further added that 50 per cent of its inmates were young offenders.

The statistics were provided in the context of Fiji Corrections Service’s push to rename the Community Based Correction Bill 2016 to Community Reformative Base Bill.

She said the Bill stated that probation officers had no power to apprehend offenders who failed to comply with any of the provisions or the order. However Corrections officers do.

She said that one of the challenges they faced in the past was lack of infrastructure to manage young offenders who mixed with notorious criminals whilst serving their term.

Opposition Member of Parliament and committee member, Semesa Karavaki said the Bill didn’t clearly explain the role of the Corrections department.

Mr Karavaki said the Bill was not clear of the individual role of the judiciary, social welfare and correction service. And this showed disconnection between the three institutions.

However, he added that the burden would be shifted to the Corrections service.

Ms Panapasa agreed with the point raised by Mr Karavaki, saying that the Bill should be harmonised under the umbrella of one Ministry.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

Feedback:  arieta.vakawukawaqa@fijisun.com.fj