All prisons overcrowded; 39,000 inmates in prisons designed for 11,000

By D.G.Sugathapala and Sumathipala Diyagahage 

Sri Lanka’s prison system is operating at more than three and a half times its intended capacity, creating a critical and unsustainable crisis, the country’s Commissioner of Prisons (Rehabilitation) stated yesterday. 

Commissioner Senaka Pallethenna revealed stark figures in a public address, detailing that the nation’s 28 prisons, designed to hold approximately 11,000 detainees, are currently housing a population of 39,000 individuals. 

Addressing the ceremony to open the hairdressing centre of the Prison Welfare Society in the Galle prisons, he said about 2,000 prisoners have been detained in the Galle prison, although the facility has capacity for only about 370. 

The Prison Welfare Society has trained a team of prisoners as barbers to man the hair-dressing centre. 

We have taken several steps to manage this situation. Follow-up action is being taken to obtain Government Analyst’s reports expeditiously in respect of remand prisoners and to release inmates under a permit system. Detainees with good conduct are allowed to visit their homes for about a week on holiday, provided they have served a considerable part of the jail term. Steps have been taken to rent out buildings temporarily for use by the prisons,” the commissioner further said. 

Prison Superintendent Wasanthakumara Dep said the services of the hairdressing centre are available to the families of prison staff and area residents as well. He said the prisoners employed in the hairdressing centre will receive a share of the income. 

Chairman of the Galle Chamber of Commerce and Industry Saman Wewella was the first to have his hair cut. 

President of the Prisoner Welfare Society, Kirthi Dias, President of the Peace and Kindness Foundation Laxman Mahanama, and Director Ursula Bier addressed the ceremony.