There were several Approved Schools across the island, many of which had between 10 and 15 wards. As a result, only the four Approved Schools that later formed part of the Department of Correctional Services will be mentioned in this article. These were: the Rio Cobre Approved School, Stony Hill Approved School, Armadale Approved School and Lower Esher Approved School.
On the other hand, the Probation Services managed cases island-wide through four offices located in Kingston, Spanish Town, Montego Bay and Port Maria. The island was also regionalized into the Northern Circuit (Trelawny, St. James, Hanover, and Westmoreland),
Eastern Circuit (St. Thomas, Portland, St. Mary and St. Ann), Western Circuit (St. Catherine, Clarendon, St. Elizabeth and Manchester) with the main office serving Kingston and St. Andrew. In 1950 each circuit had one Probation Officer, while the main office had two. However, by the end of 1972 each circuit had an average of 11 Probation Officers per region.
The operations of the three entities had separate costs and, in many instances, each was duplicating services offered by the others. The conclusion then was that a merger would address this situation. That is when the Jamaica Prison Services, Probation Services and Approved Schools became one entity – the Department of Correctional Services.
Mining of quarries discontinued
The idea of amalgamation was not welcomed by many staff because of uncertainties that come with such action. However, their fears quickly dissipated as it proved beneficial to staff and offenders alike. In keeping with the departure from the punitive approach to rehabilitation, the Government abandoned quarry mining by inmates. The mining of aggregates was previously done by inmates from General Penitentiary and St. Catherine District Prison at the Rockfort Quarry and St. Catherine Quarry – where the Quarry Hill community now sits.
The impetus to introduce rehabilitation programmes to offenders required improvement in the staff’s education and training. This brought with it improved salary packages and the structural changes in the organization also provided additional administrative positions, thereby increasing the prospect of promotion.
There were several Approved Schools across the island, many of which had between 10 and 15 wards. As a result, only the four Approved Schools that later formed part of the Department of Correctional Services will be mentioned in this article. These were: the Rio Cobre Approved School, Stony Hill Approved School, Armadale Approved School and Lower Esher Approved School.
On the other hand, the Probation Services managed cases island-wide through four offices located in Kingston, Spanish Town, Montego Bay and Port Maria. The island was also regionalized into the Northern Circuit (Trelawny, St. James, Hanover, and Westmoreland),
Eastern Circuit (St. Thomas, Portland, St. Mary and St. Ann), Western Circuit (St. Catherine, Clarendon, St. Elizabeth and Manchester) with the main office serving Kingston and St. Andrew. In 1950 each circuit had one Probation Officer, while the main office had two. However, by the end of 1972 each circuit had an average of 11 Probation Officers per region.
The operations of the three entities had separate costs and, in many instances, each was duplicating services offered by the others. The conclusion then was that a merger would address this situation. That is when the Jamaica Prison Services, Probation Services and Approved Schools became one entity – the Department of Correctional Services.
Mining of quarries discontinued
The idea of amalgamation was not welcomed by many staff because of uncertainties that come with such action. However, their fears quickly dissipated as it proved beneficial to staff and offenders alike. In keeping with the departure from the punitive approach to rehabilitation, the Government abandoned quarry mining by inmates. The mining of aggregates was previously done by inmates from General Penitentiary and St. Catherine District Prison at the Rockfort Quarry and St. Catherine Quarry – where the Quarry Hill community now sits.
The impetus to introduce rehabilitation programmes to offenders required improvement in the staff’s education and training. This brought with it improved salary packages and the structural changes in the organization also provided additional administrative positions, thereby increasing the prospect of promotion.
A Sex Offender may apply to a Judge in chambers for an Order to terminate the Registration and Reporting Requirements. However, this can only happen if the registered sex offender was given additional periods or the Reporting Requirements were varied after the expiration of the Original Period of ten (10) years.
A sex offender who contravenes the Reporting or Notification Requirements of the Sexual Offences Act, 2009 commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction in a Parish Court to a fine not exceeding one million dollars ($1 000 000.00) or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve (12) months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
All information in the Register and the Registry shall be secret and confidential. Access to information in the Register or Registry can only be given to persons or organizations who are deemed to have legitimate interest such as members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force; persons engaged in the professional counselling of sex offenders; prospective employers and employees of the sex offender; persons managing facilities for the care or treatment of vulnerable persons at which the sex offender is, or has applied to be, a patient, employee or volunteer; persons managing educational institutions at which the sex offender is enrolled or is seeking to enroll; persons acquiring information approved by the Minister for statistical purposes; and a parent, guardian, caregiver, nearest relative or person having an association with the sex offender.
The individuals and organizations highlighted above can get access to the information by making an application in writing to the Commissioner of Corrections, Department of Correctional Services, 5-7 King Street, Kingston or to the Registrar, Sex Offender Registry, 12-14 Lockett Avenue, Kingston 4. The applications should provide such information as is reasonably necessary to enable the Registrar to identify the individuals.
Where the applicant is not the appropriate person deemed to receive the information, but it is established that the sex offender poses a risk to a particularly vulnerable person or class of vulnerable persons, the information can be disclosed to a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Children’s Advocate or a public authority, who can protect the vulnerable person.
For Queries:
There is a Sex Offender Registry Registration Centre for all the parishes, except Kingston and St. Andrew where the Centre is a combined one. The Registration Centres are located at the parish Probation Offices and are the locations from where the Registration Officers conduct the registration process of sex offenders. These centres are equipped with the requisite facilities to receive reports, notifications and other pertinent information from convicted sex offenders, who are to be registered.
