Welcome to Montserrat's Government Information Unit

THE WAY FORWARD closing of the Symposium March 5, 2004

The following information is provided as part of the public outreach programme of H.M. Prison, Brades, Montserrat.

THE WAY FORWARD

FOR THE MONTSERRAT PRISON SERVICE

The first priority of the prison services is to prevent escapes and absconds. Maintaining security and control is a fundamental skill in managing in a prison. Compelling and forcing must be available as the last resort. The skill of the prison officers lies in developing a positive approach to security based on our relevant training programmes. This symposium seeks to improve our performance in three key areas – Justice, Custody and Care.

Our aim is to provide:

A better prison service, and more effective measures of security and control.
Better relationships between inmates
More community activities and useful programmes for inmates

The inmates are part of the criminal justice system. We make as distinctive contribution, which compliments the efforts of the others seeking to prevent crimes. The ultimate objectives of reducing crimes will not be achieved if those involved in the criminal justice system fail to cooperate.

Our prison services in the coming years will have to provide for a population of inmates serving longer sentences, for more serious crimes, plus a great portion of inmates on remand or mentally challenge. In dealing with this population we will have three obligations: -

To implement the Courts decisions by keeping the prisoners in custody.
To provide a positive regime to help prisoners make the best use of their time in prison.
To prepare prisoners for release and resettlement in the community.

These obligations would only be met if we provide a prison, which is secure, safe, just, caring, decent, productive and positive. To make this reality for the years ahead, the prison priorities should be: -

To improve the necessary security measures
To improve communication with other services
Increase delegation of responsibilities and accountability at all levels, with clear leadership and publish annual statement of objectives
Improve the quality of jobs for all staff
Provide active and relevant programmes for inmates
Develop a community prison.
Improve on Training Programmes for staff

Crimes begin in the community and in most cases can be best addressed in the community. Community corrections provide an opportunity for the community to recognize and accept responsibility with respect to the reintegration of offenders.

We cannot expect to achieve these objectives unless we have trained our staff. That is the reason why we have put together these types of training programmes for our officers. In our work with other people we will become aware that it is prison service policy that all staff are given equal opportunities for employment, training and promotion within the service based on their ability, qualification and fitness for work. There should be no discrimination direct or indirect on grounds of race, sex or on any other grounds. The standards on which the prison operates must be consistent with the standards expected of any part of the Criminal Justice System.

The planning and organising of this symposium will enable us to develop some positive and worthwhile links with each other, all working towards the same goal, tolerance and understanding.

We are at the point where a more contentious and legally minded society may require the Prison Rules to be vigorously complied with. There is the continuous debate world wide on the violation of human rights for people when they commit these serious offences. The debate about some very serious offenders in our society and the failure to provide Rules for when they commit these serious offences could have far reaching implications. This may force yet another debate about the Prison Rules and what they mean. All the inconsistencies or non-compliance might have to be explained. We need to bolt the stable before the horses get out.

I do not think that any person is likely to quarrel with us when we say that any service which administers the severest sanctions of the Law certainly have a hard and dangerous job. The nation could not get on without the prison service. I do not hesitate to say that without the prison officers we could not survive. The facts are that we have been greatly overlooked.

During the volcanic crisis in Montserrat we were in circumstances in which survival was almost impossible. I can say with certainty that our survival and our continued presence in Montserrat owe a great deal to the Dependent Territories Prison Services (especially the BVI and TCI Prisons). We now have to continue our preparations to be fully back on our own as we move towards the completion of the new Prison. I am ever grateful to our colleagues for their efforts, we are looking forward to a bright future. I do not think it is any exaggeration to say that every man or woman who joins the prison service is a great patriot and deserves to be recognized for this service.

To be a good Prison Officer you must be highly motivated to achieve excellence; you must be excited about what you do, passionate about mastery of your acquired skills, and sufficiently energetic to get the job done, passive acceptance of responsibility will not lead to success. Rather officers must create an institutional vision of greatness and commit to its establishment. You must give your hearts and not your minds, or just your time. Prison Officers must commit that element of human character from whence inspiration and dedication flows.

There are 4 main factors that need to be addressed: -

The current levels of discomfort with the way things are now.
The all-reactive ness of the vision of the future.
The individual or the group’s previous successes with the way things are now.
The level of peer or work group support for the changes.

We create discomfort by generating a perception that there maybe square wheels and round wheels. By discussing things that can be improved, we make people less comfortable with the way things are.

I believe that most shifts in the prison are thumping on square wheels with the round wheels in the wagon. We prod along because we have always done it that way and they work. How did we know that we are making progress if we did not go thump, thump? We need to change the wheels now so that we can be successful in the near future.

You cannot become a butterfly by remaining a caterpillar. It is all about the inevitability of change and clarifying a vision for the future of the Montserrat prison service.

Some points to ponder on: -

Trust among team members is important for the motivation and focused effort.
Communication between pullers and pushers is an obvious opportunity for improvement.
Shared vision and goals are crucial for shared effort and motivation.
There is a constant need for teamwork and collaboration.
Continuous improvement and measurement of progress must occur, because the round wheels of today will become square tomorrow.
Issues of cost and performance are always present.
Remember—ideas for improvements already exist within your wagon.

Key learning points are: -

Even though we often resist change and risk, it is often inevitable.

Change will occur and we can choose to be active participants and go with the flow or we can attempt to resist and suffer the stresses.

We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.

Even caterpillars can fly if they would just lighten up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I challenge each of you to look for ideas for improvement and make a difference in the Montserrat prison service. Your wheels are round and already exist.

On behalf of the Superintendent and other prison Authorities, I wish to thank everyone for his or her continued support.

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