Prisons Dept implements nationwide reforms to reduce overcrowding

In a statement today, it said among the efforts is to increase capacity by installing bunk beds for prisoners in cells and prison dormitories and working with the courts to speed up trials.

"In addition, there will be a focus on rehabilitation programmes in the community which currently involves a total of 82,487 prisoners and with a recidivism rate of only 0.24 per cent," read the statement.

The department said the rehabilitation programme also involved convicted inmates in the Sungai Buloh Prison.

Meanwhile, other efforts by the Prisons Department involves converting former National Service Training Programme sites into Resident Reintegration Centres and Satellite Prisons.

The department is also studying the use of emergency management days (EMD) for low-risk remand prisoners to avoid them being held in prison.

"Having taken these measures, the problem of overcrowding in Sungai Buloh Prison has been reduced.

"The excess percentage of prisoners currently is 36 per cent compared to the maximum capacity of 4,200 prisoners which is an additional 20 per cent of existing capacity," it added.

The Prisons Department said the measures to reduce overcrowding would be continued with the cooperation of various agencies and these will also focus on reducing the number of prisoners in remand.