Violence among prisoners is the result of the lengthy time it takes for their cases to be tried.
This, from Commissioner of Prisons, Dennis Pulchan, who says prisoners tend to take their rage out on prison officers.
Mr. Pulchan says while he is not making an excuse for the inmates’ behaviour, some inmates have to wait ten years or longer before their matter is called.
Mr. Pulchan says in most cases, the violent prisoners are separated from the less violent ones to prevent contamination.
Still, he says the job of the Prison Service is to rehabilitate prisoners before they return to society. But he admits that sometimes the public is not very forgiving.
Mr. Pulchan says there are approximately 3,600 prisoners in the system, adding that the Prison Service is responsible for eleven institutions throughout the country.