THE CORRECTIONAL Services Department is in the process of implementing a new identification system at the island's penal institutions to monitor persons visiting inmates at the prisons.
Visitors will be required to supply the Department of Corrections with personal information under the new system.
"Apart from filling out a specific form, visitors will now have to submit a personal photograph which will be attached to their file," Commissioner of Corrections, Major Richard Reese, told The Gleaner yesterday.
In addition, persons will have to produce valid identification, such as a passport, national ID or a driver's licence on applying for permission to visit.
Commissioner Reese said the new system was being implemented for security reasons. It is to come into effect within a few weeks, starting in Kingston.
"We are going to be starting at the Horizon Park Remand Centre before implementing it in institutions. The forms are ready, we are just preparing the software," said Commissioner Reese.
The new policy is designed to address the existing problems at the two maximum penal facilities, the Tower Street and St. Catherine adult correctional centres.
ESCAPE FIASCO
More than eight years ago, two foreign nationals waiting to be extradited to the United States were escorted out of the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre by persons claiming to be immigration officials. The two men then left the country. Prison authorities were unable to say who escorted them out of the institution.
At present, visitors do not have to produce identification. They are only required to record their names in a big diary at the prison.
"We are aware that people sometimes use false names to visit inmates," said Major Reese.
The Commissioner also disclosed that effective tomorrow, visiting will resume at the Tower Street Correctional Centre. Only inmates with surnames starting with A-L will be allowed visitors tomorrow. Inmates whose surnames begin with M-Z will receive their visitors Friday; and appellants will get visits on Saturday.
Normal visiting arrangements are expected to resume on April 5.
