Devon Evans, Sunday Gleaner WriterOcho Rios, St Ann:
THE DEPARTMENT of Correctional Services has launched an investigation into the escape of 11 wards from the Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre for females in Alexandria, St Ann, early yesterday morning.
The 11 wards made their escape by cutting out a section of the fence near to the front of the building about 2:00 a.m. However, 12 hours later, seven of them were recaptured by the police, leaving the other four still on the run.
A statement from the Department of Correctional Services said the wards absconded from the institution during a "series of disturbances, resulting in significant damage to structures and bathroom fixtures in the main dormitory".
Facility overcrowded
The correctional authorities said, as a result of the poor infrastructure and overcrowding at the institution, a number of wards have been transferred to the Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre for "security and safety reasons". The correctional authorities said emergency repairs and salvage operations commenced at the juvenile centre yesterday.
Reports reaching The Sunday Gleaner are that shortly after 2:00 a.m. yesterday, policemen on patrol in the Alexandria area spotted a group of girls coming from the direction of the correctional centre. As the lawmen got closer to the group, the girls ran in different directions into the nearby bushes. They were pursued by the lawmen who, after searching the area, recaptured three of them. Four more were held sometime later.
Deputy Commissioner of Corrections June Jarrett visited the facility yesterday where she reportedly ordered a probe into the circumstances leading to the breakout of the inmates.
Only one guard
Reports reaching The Sunday Gleaner are that the centre, which houses 67 female inmates, has only one security guard on duty at any one time.
Last month, a group of wards at Armadale had to be transferred to the Horizon Remand Centre in St Andrew after they launched a boisterous protest over certain conditions at the institution.
