More healthcare, court dates ‘in house’ at Dodds

The Barbados Prison Service has tightened its security controls and sharply reduced prisoner movement outside the Dodds Prison, following the escape earlier this year of inmate Kishon Lamar Anderson Thomas from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Superintendent DeCarlo Payne has told Barbados TODAY exclusively.

Superintendent Payne said the measures were implemented after Thomas escaped from custody on May 2 while receiving medical treatment at the QEH, an incident that raised serious concerns about inmate movement and external risk exposure. Thomas remained at large for roughly two months before being recaptured, prompting an internal review of procedures governing medical visits, court appearances and other off‑site engagements.

Payne explained that while the Prison Service had long maintained protocols to manage and mitigate risks associated with inmate movement, the escape underscored the need for tighter controls. The revised approach, he said, focuses on reducing the number of inmates who leave the prison, as movement outside the facility inherently increases security risks.

As part of the strengthened protocols, the Prison Service has engaged the hospital and the courts in talks on relocating key services wherever possible. As a result, on‑site medical services have been expanded, reducing the need for inmates to be transported, he said.

Some medical assessments and procedures — particularly those that previously required inmates to attend hospital departments where restraints had to be removed — are now being conducted at the prison. According to Payne, this includes orthopaedic‑related services, which had been identified as posing elevated risk during off‑site visits.

The Prison Service has also widened the range of clinics offered within the facility, including regular psychiatric services held weekly on site. These clinics, the superintendent said, form part of a broader effort to address inmates’ health needs while maintaining tighter security controls.

Telemedicine has also been incorporated into the revised framework. The Prison Service is collaborating with the QEH to facilitate remote consultations for cases considered minor or routine. Superintendent Payne explained that the service already utilises a doctor who provides care remotely and has done so for more than a year, demonstrating that telemedicine is a viable option for reducing inmate movement.

He said: “We would have also had discussions with the QEH as well in terms of seeing how many services can be done here on the site. Also with the court, so many services can be done virtually so that limits the amount of individuals who go from here, and so far has been working pretty good for us, especially at the QEH in terms of the orthopaedics and those people who go in and get services that require taking off the shackles but that’s being done here so we don’t have that issue anymore in terms of people going out there for that service.

“So we’re trying to do things to mitigate as much as possible persons leaving here because the risk increases when they leave here; if they remain, the risk decreases.”

In addition to medical services, virtual court appearances are now being used more frequently following discussions with the judiciary. This has further reduced the number of inmates required to leave the prison for court dates, which the prison chief said eased pressure on both security and logistics.

Superintendent Payne added: “We also have the clinics for the psychiatric people, that’s every Wednesday here as well, on site. So we’re trying to do as much as we can. We are also discussing telemedicine with QEH as well to see how best we can deal with those issues that you will consider as minor that can be done basically through the technology.”

The measures implemented so far have been effective, he said, particularly in relation to medical services, as the Prison Service continues to assess and refine the protocols as necessary. He explained that limiting inmate movement not only reduces institutional risk but also helps reassure the public about safety and security.

Payne also highlighted the potential development of a secondary minimum-risk facility to prepare inmates for release among long‑term initiatives aimed at improving rehabilitation and reintegration outcomes.

This facility would operate separately from the main prison and function in a more open setting, allowing individuals nearing the end of their sentences to transition gradually back into society, the prison superintendent said. He suggested that this approach supports reintegration by strengthening family ties and providing a structured environment ahead of release.

Drawing on his experience in the United Kingdom, Superintendent Payne said open‑prison models have proved effective in reducing reoffending by allowing inmates to assume greater responsibility. He noted that similar concepts had been explored locally, with proposals drafted as early as 2006 and revisited in subsequent years.

He pointed to the Pathways to Recovery charity as an example of a model aligned with these principles, operating as a form of halfway house for individuals requiring support during reintegration. These arrangements are particularly important given that many inmates enter the prison system without a fixed address, he said.

According to Payne, the absence of stable housing presents a major challenge for those leaving custody, increasing the likelihood of reoffending. A transitional facility, even for a limited period, could provide stability and allow former inmates to secure employment and rebuild their lives.

On the rate of reoffending, also termed recidivism, Payne sought to correct public misconceptions about recidivism rates within the prison system. He said reoffending among inmates released from the prison fluctuates between 20 and 30 per cent, which he described as significantly lower than national figures that exceed 50 per cent when data from multiple agencies are combined.

He explained that the Prison Service classifies inmates based on their assessed risk of reoffending, categorising them as low, moderate or high risk. This assessment, he said, informs rehabilitation planning and decisions about reintegration support.

Superintendent Payne also noted that the majority of inmates currently housed at the Dodds facility are first‑time offenders — a factor that contributes to the lower reoffending rate. He said reincarceration is recorded when an individual returns to prison for a second time, but such cases are not as common as often assumed.

While rehabilitation programmes are in place, he stressed that meaningful reform ultimately depends on the individual’s willingness to change. He said rehabilitation cannot be forced and requires personal commitment alongside institutional support.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb