Nabire prison was only built for 150 persons, but now there are 175 inmates – comprising 156 men, 12 women and seven children – Jubi
Nabire, Jubi – The lack of the space for child prisoners in Prison Class II Nabire prompted authorities to put minors in the polyclinic section.
“Besides overcrowding, we must relocate them to the polyclinic because there are no special cells for children. While they are not allowed to be put in the same cells with the adults,” said the Head of Prison Class II Nabire to Jubi on Tuesday (20/9/2016).
He said the prison was only built for 150 persons, but now there are 175 inmates – comprising 156 men, 12 women and seven children.
Especially for the children, Yembise admitted it was referred to the Law on the Correction Department No. 11 Year 2012 about Child Crime Justice System, so this action must be done.
“Because they must get a guidance given their young ages. But the detention is still done by using the polyclinic but no officers who guarded for temporarily,” he said.
Besides taking the routine activities like the adult inmates, these children get the additional guidance by officers or female inmates who voluntarily spend their time for those children. “I hope the related stakeholders could be more concerned about this,” he said.
Meanwhile a female inmate Lina said she decided to help the children because she is concerned to them. “They are in the school age, but they are apparently ignored by their family, because no one come to see them. So I asked permission from the Prison Chief to help them. Because some of them cannot read, so I teach them reading, singing, praying or everything that I knew,” she said. (*/rom)
