Anyone who finds himself in the prison system more than likely wants to get out.
Fortunately, there’s help.
Staff members at the Cayman Islands Government Probation Aftercare Unit are the ones holding out a willing hand.
Beginning Sunday they’re going to begin doing all they can to make you aware of who they are and what they do.
Probation and Parole Week runs through 29 September.
‘The community plays a significant role in community rehabilitation. It is important that support and positive guidance is extended to offenders in the community to compliment the role of DPA,’ said Director Teresa Echenique Bowen. ‘We welcome business to extend employment to persons making a positive effort to reintegrate themselves into a crime free life style. Also there are various other areas that the community can offer assistance in and therefore we welcome them to contact DPA for more information.’
The overall focus of the Probation Aftercare Unit is to assist in reducing the incidence and impact of crime through education and rehabilitation.
Its mission is to enforce the rehabilitative mandate of the Court and Parole Board through social work intervention, quality supervision, innovative programmes and treatment plans.
The staff’s job is to help offenders become more productive citizens while reducing the level of offending behaviours and promoting public safety.
To achieve its goals, the unit works with various agencies, such as Caribbean Haven, Mental Health, Children and Family Services, the prison and Family Support Unit.
The Probation Aftercare Unit falls under the authority of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, which has increased the probation office’s staff.
Mrs. Echenique-Bowen also sees next week as a stepping stone to developing the unit into a department because of the important role it plays in the community.
‘Over the last year the Department of Probation and Parole has continued to grow and develop in our efforts to continue to provide high quality services and essential programmes toward rehabilitation in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac,’ she said. ‘Our staff compliment has increased and plans are in place for DPA to relocate to a new location, which will allow us to facilitate various group programmes and possibly new services to our clientele.’
That new location will be at Cayman Centre across from the Airport Post Office. The move is anticipated to be made by mid-October 2007, giving staff more room to work than in their cramped quarters above Wendy’s restaurant on Walkers Road.
Mrs. Bowen said next week is important to highlight the work of the Department of Probation and Aftercare in the criminal justice system, promote the services offered by the Department of Probation and Aftercare to the community, provide information to the public on the area of community rehabilitation and facilitate discussion in the public arena on some of the pending reform in the criminal justice system.
There is an average of 300 referrals made by the courts for the purpose of social inquiry reports and about 175-200 people supervised on community-based court orders. There is an average of 75-100 referrals for parole reports and about 40-50 people supervised in the community on parole licences.
Following is a schedule of events:
September 21 – Parole and Probation staff members will be on the Day Break show on Cayman 27.
23 – Church service at St. George’s Anglican Church at 9am
24 – Open Day, Department of Probation and Aftercare from 10am until 4pm
25 – Conference, Day 1, by registration; Marriott Hotel 8.30am until 5pm Opening ceremony 9-10.15am; Domestic violence presentations.
26 – Day Break appearance; Conference Day 2, by registration; Marriott Hotel, 8.30am; Presentations on supervision of sex offenders
27 – Conference, Day 3, by registration: Marriott Hotel, 8.30am; Presentations on parole supervisions; Closing reception by invitation at Boatswain’s Beach, 6-8pm
28 – Open Day Cayman Brac office
29 – Picnic, Dart Park South Sound 1-6pm; Open to community members, clients and families.
The Caymanian Compass will also feature Probation and Parole Week daily during the event.
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