Almost one-quarter of SVG’s prison population serving time for murder

Of the 396 inmates behind bars at His Majesty’s Prisons, more than half are repeat offenders and almost all of them are men. Delivering the prison report at the close of the Criminal Assizes on April 3, at the High Court, acting Superintendent of Prisons, Dwayne Bailey said 214 or 54 per cent of are repeat offenders, and 384 or 97 per cent, are men.

The inmates are behind bars for a wide range of offences with 95 males being incarcerated for murder- they make up 24.7 per cent of the male population. Burglary, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition separately have landed 35 men in jail.

Forty-four men are locked up for sexual offences – 23 for rape, and 21 for unlawful sexual intercourse.

Of the 12 female inmates in prison, three are behind bars for manslaughter, while another three are serving time for murder. The other six female offenders are imprisoned for wounding; possession of controlled drugs; deception; and breach of bond.

One hundred and ninety-three inmates were sentenced by the High Court; 137 by the Magistrate’s Courts; while 42 inmates are awaiting trial; and 24 are on remand.

The male offenders hail from all 15 constituencies with the largest number, 60, originating from South Leeward. The smallest number of inmates, five, are from the Northern Grenadines.

Of the six female inmates, there are two each from the Southern Grenadines and Central Kingstown.

Six male non-nationals are behind bars, one each from Grenada, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, USA and England. Three of these inmates were sentenced by the High Court, while the other three were sentenced by the Magistrate’s Court.

Only one female non-national is in prison. She is an American who was sentenced by the High Court.

Ninety percent of inmates are in the age group 40-49 years.

There are 79 men in the age group 30-35; while there are 60 in the age group 22-25.

There are 45 inmates over 50 years while 12 persons are in the age group 16-21.

With respect to the women, there are three in each of the age groups 22-25, and 30-35, while one woman in the 16-21 years age range, and another in the range 36- 39 years.

There are 173 first time male offenders, while 211 are repeat offenders, with 112 of them having a recidivism frequency of 1-3 times.

Of the 12 female offenders, nine of them are first time offenders and three of them are repeat offenders.