BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – COMMISSIONER of Corrections of Her Majesty’s Prisons (HMP), Terrance James has recently returned to the Federation after participating in a two-day Bi-Regional High Level Conference on the use of Alternative Measures to Imprisonment.
The European Union-sponsored conference was held on September 19-20 at the Radisson Hotel in Montevideo, Uruguay, where James was among some 150 representatives from more than 30 countries from the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean.
According to a press release from HMP, the aim of the conference was to reflect on the management of criminal, correctional and reintegration policies; to present measures alternative to deprivation of liberty; and to raise awareness of the advantages offered by novel and effective proposals in judicial, economic, social and political terms for all countries.
Among the topics covered at the event were: the cost-effectiveness of alternative sentencing; reasons for prison overcrowding; the advantages and disadvantages of alternative sentencing; educating the public on alternative sentencing; and protecting vulnerable groups in the prison.
The release noted that the conference was timely as rehabilitation and prison restructuring are among areas of priority on the agenda of the Corrections Commissioner going forward.
James, who was appointed Commissioner of Corrections in July 2019, had replaced the embattled Juni ‘Scrape’ Hodge as head of the penal institution.
He was a long-serving member of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, where he rose to the rank of Assistant Commissioner and was responsible for the Operations Directorate.
During his Monthly Press Conference in January this year, Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris had informed of James’ impending appointment.
He had stated that the elevation of ACP James fell in line with the new management structure being pursued for the prison services in the Federation, which included the creation of the new post of Commissioner of Corrections.
Dr. Harris had also stated that the Commissioner of Corrections would be afforded the salary and privileges befitting the post of a Commissioner.
