Senior Reporter
kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
More than 30 years after entering the Port-of-Spain Prison for murder, one inmate had become known less for the crime that put him there and more for the intricate craftwork he produced behind bars.
Prison reform activist Debbie Jacob recalled that even prison officers believed the man, who entered the prison system as a teenager, deserved another chance at life outside the walls that had confined him for decades.
“You know, he has done his time, and he has a skill. He was old enough, so we had to look at the individual and what he has accomplished, how they are possibly going to make it in society when they come out,” Jacob said.
His story now sits at the centre of a growing national debate as the Government pushes ahead with the proposed Parole Bill and Victims’ Rights Bill, legislation aimed at reducing prison overcrowding, cutting recidivism and strengthening protections for victims of crime.
The Parole Bill proposes a supervised early-release system for eligible inmates, while the Victims’ Rights Bill would ensure victims are informed about parole hearings and have access to counselling, restitution and other support services.
For Jacob, the legislation forces the country to confront a difficult question: whether prison should only punish or whether rehabilitation should count for something.
Supporting parole legislation, she said some inmates have spent years taking academic, vocational and skills-based programmes inside prison and have shown genuine attempts to reintegrate into society.
“That is really important too, because I know men who have been in prison for over 20 years, some up to 40 years, and they have really done a lot to rehabilitate themselves, and they have some skills that they could come back into society, and I think that is important.”
Still, Jacob said parole eligibility would have to be approached carefully and assessed on a case-by-case basis, particularly for violent and sexual offences.
But even for prisoners who leave jail rehabilitated, another challenge often begins outside the prison gates.
Ex-prisoner and co-founder of Eye on Dependency Organisation, Garth St Clair, said many former inmates struggle to find work, housing and acceptance long after serving their sentences.
“They come and want to restart their lives. How will society view them, and how will they get the support to remain law-abiding citizens? It has been a struggle, even for me, after 34 years and a presidential pardon,” St Clair said.
St Clair said his organisation supports the proposed parole legislation but questioned whether the State has the infrastructure needed to make it work.
He asked whether probation and parole offices would be properly staffed and whether businesses would be willing to hire former prisoners trying to rebuild their lives.
“Are they willing to partner with the private sector to say if I come out with skills, like a mechanic, will Massy hire me, will Toyota hire me?” he asked.
“Do you have construction firms willing to partner with the Government, and will they hire these individuals, or will they be left to their own devices? You have to keep them employed and not go back to the life they once had.”
St Clair also questioned whether there are enough halfway houses and support systems for former inmates whose families refuse to take them back.
Jacob believes victims must also remain part of the conversation. She said stronger protections are necessary, especially given her own experience with poor communication from investigators during a matter involving police two decades ago.
She also supports victims being allowed to give statements during parole hearings, as is done in other jurisdictions.
Jacob recalled the Cotton Tree Project, which allowed victims to interact with inmates who were not responsible for the crimes committed against them. She said the initiative helped participants better understand each other’s perspectives and challenged assumptions surrounding crime and punishment.
Criminologist Dr Randy Seepersad said research has long shown that prison conditions themselves can encourage criminal behaviour instead of reducing it.
“They are also enmeshed in an environment that socialises people into a life of crime. They build criminal contacts within prisons and even outside of prisons,” Seepersad said.
He described parole as a diversionary strategy that could improve outcomes for offenders who do not necessarily need lengthy prison sentences. Seepersad, however, warned that parole alone would not solve the country’s crime problems without proper rehabilitation services, counselling, employment opportunities and reintegration support after release.
For Jacob, however, one reality remains unavoidable.
“We have about 90 per cent of the people who go into prison coming out.”
The question, she suggested, is whether society wants them returning better or worse.
