WITH ABOUT two-thirdsof released offenders returning to prison, a criminologist has identified a “critical” role for the Men’s Educational Support Association (MESA) in rehabilitating them.
Yolande Forde offered this among a range of suggestions to both visitors and members at the MESA annual general meeting Wednesday night. She also challenged the 15-year-old organisation to do more to address the needs of young men in Barbados.
In her brief presentation at The St Michael School forum, Forde said her statistics as a criminologist indicated there were about 90 people being released from HMP Dodds every month and many of them were finding themselves back in prison.
Considering the high rate of recidivism, Forde suggested MESA could “step up to the plate” and undertake a programme “that would effectively assist with crime reduction in Barbados”. (GC)
Please read the full story in today’s Weekend Nation, or in the eNATION edition.