Cabinet has endorsed the Corrections Service (Amendment) Bill 2024 for tabling in Parliament.
The Corrections Service Act 2006 was enacted in 2006 and commenced on 27 June 2008.
It repealed the Prisons Act (Cap 86) and established a new framework which provides for inter alia the establishment of the Fiji Corrections Service, the administration of prisons in Fiji, the treatment of prisoners including the remission of their sentences, early release schemes and the discharge of prisoners.
The Bill seeks to amend the Act for:
-Better alignment to International Standards Regarding the Treatment of Prisoners;
-Establishment of necessary bodies within the Service which are crucial to its functions such as the Central Allocation and Classification Board, which classifies and assigns prisoners to a suitable Corrections Centre;
-Provide immunity to the Service from civil and criminal liabilities, in the performance of their duties. To be immune from civil or criminal liability, the Service must show that the performance of lawful duties (or the omission of the same) were done so in good faith or with reasonable care, or in the execution of an order that is purported to have been issued by a Judge, Magistrate or any other officer authorised by law; and
-Provide for the mandatory medical examination of prisoners prior to them being released for early release programmes.
