BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – SOME states in America have made provisions for married prison inmates to have conjugal visits with their spouses. And even closer to home, an announcement was made at the beginning of this year that legislation would have been taken to the Trinidad and Tobago Parliament to make provision for convicts to have the privilege of conjugal visits.
But does the possibility exist for this practice to take place in St. Kitts and Nevis?
In a previous interview with SKNVibes, Superintendent of Prisons Franklyn Dorset stated point blankly that not only would he not entertain the idea, but that persons who are committing crimes ought to consider the consequences of their actions if they are caught.
And in a subsequent interview with this media house, Dorset affirmed that no consideration is being given to the possibility of the married inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison gaining conjugal visit privileges.
He however explained that in order for consideration to be given, a process which includes education and a change in mind-sets would have to first take place.
“There is no consideration being given to making allowances for conjugal visits for men or women in prison who would be married, no consideration at all. Because I don’t think we have reached that stage. We are not educated to that stage and it might create some problems, because even when a prisoner goes out to work and he has on something that is not prison code, that is a concern.
“But until we reach the stage where people are educated and understand what conjugal visits are all about, then we will think about it. Not that it is not in my mind, but it is not something I think will be implemented right away.”
Asked when this education process would begin, Superintendent Dorset suggested that it should take place when Her Majesty’s Prison transforms from a “jail” to a “correctional facility”. And when asked when that will take place, he informed “hopefully next year”.
While some are convinced that the introduction of such constitutes endowing inmates with privileges they ought not have, others claim that it is a great rehabilitative tool and that it encourages the engagement of inmates in family life, notwithstanding their incarceration.
