MOU Signed Between BDOCS and Correctional Services of Canada

#TheBahamas, March 1, 2022 – On Thursday 24^th February, 2022 at 2:00 p.m., at the Ministry of National Security, John F. Kennedy Drive, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS) and Correctional Services of Canada (CSC).

The objective of this MOU is to facilitate an effective pathway for information and expertise sharing, along with the provision of technical assistance and training in the field of Correctional Services.

In an effort to begin the transition of Her Majesty’s Prison from a penal institution to that of a correctional facility, the Government of The Bahamas, in August 2013, enacted new legislation, the Correctional Services Act, 2014, and repealed the Prison Acts 208 and 193.

As a result of the same, the historic name of the prison was changed from Her Majesty’s Prison to that of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. This paradigm shift, in keeping with the new philosophical approach to corrections undertaken by democratic nations worldwide, sought to align The Bahamas with its counterparts in transitioning our institution from a sole focus on incarceration to a focus on effective rehabilitation and reintegration.

Shortly thereafter, The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, signed the first MOU with Correctional Services of Canada. Under this agreement, many officers throughout the ranks were afforded months of intensive Corrections training in Canada.

A second MOU was signed in 2017 which allowed even more officers to take advantage of the knowledge, skills, and expertise of our partners, CSC.

Moving forward to 2022, as BDOCS continues its transition to a true rehabilitation and reintegration facility, the signing of the 2022 MOU with Correctional Services of Canada will allow the organization to begin to implement similar operational and management practices. Therein, the new structural and operational model for Corrections at BDOCS will mirror best practices from the CSC’s mode of structure and operations.

Amongst the many benefits of this continued and renewed partnership will be key training modules, certifications, and systems that facilitate BDOCS being registered and recognized as a functional and effective correctional facility, based on international best practices.

Some of the featured trainings and systems will include:

1)    Executive Management Training – for Senior Officers;

2)    Professional Development Training – for Junior and Mid-level Staff;

3) Offender Correctional Programme and Assessment Tools – a programme that allows, based on inmate classification, the most effective correctional programme to be designed, implemented, and assessed for efficacy of implementation;

4)    Parole Management System;

5)    Inmate Classification System;

6)    Facility Security; and

7)    Facility Planning

Signing on behalf of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services was Acting Commissioner of Corrections, Mr. Doan Cleare and Mrs. Anne Kelly, for Correctional Services of Canada (signed previously).

Also in attendance were the Minister of National Security, the Honorable Wayne Munroe, QC., Mrs. Cheryl Darville, Permanent Secretary, Mr. Delgardo Forbes, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary, and other senior ministry officials.