The country’s current prison population stands at 2069, according to Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels.
He made the disclosure on Wednesday during the graduation ceremony of eight inmates who successfully completed anger management classes.
Samuels revealed that of that number, 724 are male convicted inmates between the ages 18 and 35.
This number is more than the current prison infrastructure can comfortably accommodate.
In fact, the country’s main prison located at Camp Street was built accommodate some 500 prisoners but up to the 2016 prison fire, it was housing over 900 inmates.
The Prison Director told INews that the expansion of the Mazaruni Prison in Region Seven is expected to help with the overcrowding issue.
When completed, the jailhouse should be able to accommodate an additional 400 prisoners.
Following the July 2017 fire which destroyed the Camp Street Prison, Government revealed plans to expand the Mazaruni Prison – a project which was expected to cost some $2 billion.
Additionally, the Camp Street Prison is being renovated and is expected to accommodate an additional 180 prisoners.
