Stephanie Coleman, Gleaner Writer
FORMER PRISON doctor, Raymoth Notice, has refused to provide the authorities with a detailed report to support allegations of prisoners being raped daily at the St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre.
The Department of Correctional Services requested specific information including the names of the inmates who are alleged to be victims, offenders, the number of victims as well as the dates, times and blocks where the rapes occurred. However, Dr. Notice was adamant that the authorities are responsible for their own investigations and that he would not be disclosing information given to him in confidence by concerned workers, relatives of victims and people who are fearful of speaking out. "It is ridiculous to request a report. Anybody can walk into the prisons and the prisoners can tell who the offenders are and who are being offended," said Notice, who is a councillor at the St. Catherine Parish Council.
KNOWN PROCEDURES
"This is a medical and legal case and there are known procedures in prison to direct the commissioner to get details. Don't pin me down to get information. Let them do their research and prove me wrong," he continued.
Dr. Notice sharply criticised the performance of prison personnel, who he claimed failed in their duty to prevent instances of abuse in the cells. "It [rapes] is nothing new. If you walk into the (cell) block everybody knows. If supervisors cannot see or hear, they need to be removed," he said.
The Ministry of National Security has launched a comprehensive probe into the allegations, but are awaiting any information that would aid their investigations.
"We haven't got any names or evidence as to whether this is happening," said Neville Graham, public relations officer at the ministry. "We got a letter [from Dr. Notice] but no specifics. We are anxiously awaiting those specifics and we urge anybody else with information to come to the prison authorities in confidence and it will be treated with strict seriousness," Mr. Graham said.
MORE INTERACTION WITH PRISONERS
Head of the Department of Corrections, Major Richard Reese, said that the increased access to adult correctional facilities allows more people to interact with the prisoners and observe the areas first-hand, instead of relying on second-hand accounts,
"There is more liberal access to the prisons, there is an increase in the numbers of chaplains, volunteers, researchers, and students. Individuals and attorneys visit every day ... they are very good sources. If something was really glaring it wouldn't take him [Dr. Notice] to find it out, it would come from these people. The more we open our institution, the less we can stop inmates from talking," Major Reese said.
