NASSAU, The Bahamas — Officials at Her Majesty’s Prisons and the Ministry of National Security Thursday launched the HMP Challenge Drug Therapy Programme, which is expected to “aggressively address” substance abuse amongst the inmate population at the facility.
National Security officials say the programme represents “a major step forward in getting at the foundation of substance abuse” amongst the inmate population.
The challenge programme is a major part of the Government of The Bahamas’ “comprehensive” five-year National Anti-Drug Strategy (2012-2016), which was launched just less than three weeks ago (March 28).
Part of that Strategy focuses on the Prison as a “pivotal setting for rigorous treatment and rehabilitation programmes.” That focus is designed to curb demand and treat and rehabilitate inmates in order to better prepare them for re-integration into society.
The new, more aggressive focus, is a result of research which shows that almost 80 per cent of new admissions to Her Majesty’s Prison, enter the facility “with drugs in their system.”
“Until now, the Prison had offered a programme of substance abuse education to vulnerable inmates. Clearly this was not enough,” Mr. Turnquest said. “Today’s launch therefore, for the first time, represents a major step forward in getting at the foundation of substance abuse.
“The Challenge Programme operates on the belief that substance abuse and criminal behaviour come as a result of distancing oneself from society. In this regard, the evidence suggests that inmates who live in an area specifically designed with intense interventions, tend to internalize pro-social behaviour as opposed to anti-social conduct,” Mr. Turnquest added.
Based on the “voluntary participation of affected inmates”, the Challenge Programme has six components and involves inmates participating in three levels of treatment – Orientation, Core Treatment and the Transition Stage. It takes inmates 9-12 months to complete the programme.
“The programme focuses on the development of cognitive and problem-solving skills, life and anger management skills, relapse prevention and rejection of criminal lifestyles,” Mr. Turnquest said.
The National Security Minister said the Challenge Programme is part of the “ongoing and wide-in-scope of) Prison Reform and Rehabilitation launched by the Government of The Bahamas since 2007.
“The rehabilitation thrust at Her Majesty’s Prison has encompassed inmate classification (which ensures that inmates of similar risks and inclinations are housed together); proper sentence planning; a wide range of technical, vocational and academic programmes; attitude adjustment and behaviour modification programmes; a day work release programme as well as a faith-based initiative,” Mr. Turnquest said.
“We began in 2007 by introducing the Inmate Discharge Certificate which, for focused, repentant inmates, serves as a countermeasure to the Police Character Certificate. We have regularised payment for part-time instructors in our technical/vocational instructional programme which has led to a doubling of course offerings available to inmates.
“Additionally, we have expanded the Extra Mural Work Release Programme and recommenced the Intra-Mural Work Programme and for the past four years, Her Majesty’s Prison has held successful student anti-crime rallies with the assistance of inmates to sensitise young people to the need to lead drug free and crime free lives as part of our deterrent and prevention programmes.
“We are firmly of the belief that it is easier to bring about change by uplifting and educating inmates, rather than by dehumanising them,” Mr. Turnquest added.
By Matt Maura
Bahamas Information Services
