By Bill W. Cooper
The Deputy Superintendent for Administration at the Monrovia Central Prison, Joel Justin G. Juah, has raised alarm over the severe overcrowding of the prison facility, situated in the heart of Monrovia.
Deputy Superintendent Juah also expressed growing concerns over the prison’s capacity limits and called upon the National Legislature to pass a crucial bill that would make the Bureau of Corrections autonomous, granting it the power to address this urgent issue.
He made the revelation Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in response to Indian business tycoon, Upjit Singh Sachdeva, commonly known as Jeety, after he fed inmates with some hot meals at the prison facility.
South Beach Prison, as it commonly called across Liberia, which was designed to accommodate a maximum of 400 inmates, is currently operating at a staggering 150 percent of its capacity, housing approximately 1347 prisoners, 1034 of which are pretrial detainees.
However, the overcrowding situation has reached a tipping point, placing an enormous strain on the staff, infrastructure, and resources of the facility, as well as the health and well-being of the inmates.
Superintendent Juah also emphasized that this dire situation compromises the safety of both the inmates and the correctional officers, and at the same time, shared harrowing accounts of the adverse effects of overcrowding on the prison’s daily operations.
He described the inadequate sleeping arrangements, limited access to educational and recreational programs, and the constant threat of violence among inmates, as few outcomes of the overcrowded conditions.
To address these pressing concerns, the Prison Deputy Superintendent urged the legislature to pass a bill lingering in the corridor of the Capitol Building, which would grant autonomy to the Bureau of Corrections.
Currently, the Bureau operates under the Department of Justice, limiting its decision-making power and ability to implement necessary changes. By becoming an autonomous entity, the Bureau would have the authority to allocate resources, implement reforms, and establish effective measures to combat overcrowding and other challenges.
“The Bureau of Corrections needs the autonomy to act swiftly and efficiently in addressing the challenges we face because we require the ability to make decisions that directly impact the well-being and safety of both inmates and staff. The current bureaucratic structure hinders our progress in achieving meaningful change,” he said.
The proposed bill, which has spent years at the Legislature, aims to grant the Bureau of Corrections the flexibility to develop comprehensive strategies to reduce overcrowding. This would include the construction of new prison facilities, expansion of existing ones, and the implementation of alternative sentencing programs.
By providing the Bureau with the necessary resources and authority to take immediate action, the legislation seeks to alleviate the strain on the South Beach Prison and other overcrowded correctional facilities across the state.
The Superintendent further highlighted the importance of focusing on comprehensive reform measures that address the underlying causes of overcrowding, including the need for improved mental health services and increased access to drug rehabilitation programs.
He added that these initiatives would not only benefit the inmates but also contribute to reducing recidivism rates and creating a safer society.
