CS discusses plans to improve performance

THE Correctional Services Department is focused on improving its performance, especially in offender management and containment.
That includes rehabilitation and re-integration, infrastructure management and development, provision and delivery of quality services, development of leadership and management capability.
“These would ensure that society has confidence in the prison systems in reducing the rate of repeat offences, a safe and healthy environment with stakeholder satisfaction and have a transparent accountable organisation,” deputy commissioner of corporate affairs Dominic Tomar said at day two of the week-long CS senior officers meeting in Lae yesterday.
He was reviewing the CS corporate plan 2006-10 when he added that the CS had to be “a sustainable organisation to contribute meaningfully to national development”.
“The new five-year development plan for 2011-15 would aim to provide safety for the society through improved management and rehabilitation of offenders,” he said.
Despite the pressure created by the escape of 414 prisoners last year, various CS institutions around the country “have silently performed their obligations to the best of their ability to achieve some of their goals,” Deputy Commissioner of operations Steven Pokanis said.
“Considering the current trend of global change in technology, knowledge and skills, the 19 CS jails around the country lack basic infrastructural and staff overhaul,” he said.
Mr Pokanis said prisons were under-staffed, lacked proper housing, and the detention capacities were small and did not have monitoring devices.
“Importantly, (there were no) effective communication and logistic systems from the headquarters to commanding officers, delegation of task by commanding officers to various sectional heads and staff to understand their specific roles and responsibilities,”  Mr Pokanis said.
He said there were other aspects within the headquarters and the prisons and amongst the warders that warranted introspection “to realise their roles and responsibilities”.
“The CS is currently undertaking a bold step into establishing prison industries authority to work in partnership with various private and public stakeholders.
“The feasibility study would identify projects that were viable and could be sustained for prisoners to be trained “so that after serving terms, they can walk out into the community with skills and knowledge that could help them to secure a place in the society,” he said.