Amid fresh public concerns that incarcerated criminals are orchestrating murders from behind bars, Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Minister, Dr Horace Chang, has insisted that prisoners are being closely monitored by the police and correctional officers.
Those fears were heightening last week as police personnel pointed to gangsters from behind bars playing a role in last Sunday night’s deadly massacre in Cherry Tree Lane, Four Paths, Clarendon, which left eight persons dead and nine others nursing wound.
In fact, Acting Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey said the brutal attack was linked to a longstanding feud between Jamaicans criminals overseas, and was sparked by a dispute over ill-gotten gains and disputes relative to six pervious violent incidents in Clarendon.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Chang sought to allay fears about the happenings from behind the walls of local prisons.
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He said the Government will be bringing a new Corrections Act to Parliament in the next legislative year, to enhance penal institution management.
The deputy prime minister then pointed to the monitoring of such high-risk criminals in correctional facilities.
“We, in fact, monitor the activities of these prisoners not only by investigating and removing contraband from the prisons, but the police monitor carefully,” Chang said.
“That’s why some of the intelligence we have, without going into details, are able to identify beforehand, intercept and sometimes save the lives of some of the very criminals who are involved.
“So, work is done to manage the situation quite effectively, but there will be slips occasionally,” Chang stated.
Since the gunmen created mayhem at two social gatherings in close proximity to each other in the Cherry Tree Lane community, the security forces have been going all-out to bring those responsible to justice.
Up to Friday, there were six persons in custody, two guns recovered, and one prime suspect was fatally shot during a reported confrontation with the police on Wednesday.
