Many Prisons Over Capacity, Deputy Minister Of Law And Human Rights: Building A Prison Is Not Easy, Requires A Big Budget To A Security System

JEMBER - Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights (Wamenkum HAM) Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej said that many prisons in Indonesia were already overcapacity or overloaded.

"The problems faced by the Jember Prison are also faced by all prisons in Indonesia," he said while visiting Class II-A prisons in Jember Regency, East Java, as reported by Antara, Thursday, June 2.

The Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights inspected the Jember Class II-A Prison building accompanied by the Head of the East Java Kumham Regional Office, Zaeroji, who was greeted directly by the Jember Class IIA Head of prison, Hasan Basri.

According to him, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights is still unable to build a new prison with a larger capacity.

"Building a prison is not like building a house, it requires analysis and so on, the security system, and the budget is large and there must be a principle permit, so it is not easy," he said.

However, he continued, his party is trying to reduce the excess capacity by distributing it to other prisons.

"But everywhere prisons are full, so please be patient. We are still making improvements and most importantly how to reduce overcrowding inside," he said.

While at the Jember Prison, the Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights also visited the kitchen and health room as well as several blocks inhabited by the inmates of the Jember Prison Correctional Center.

Meanwhile, the Head of Class II-A Jember Prisons Hasan Basri said the arrival of the Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights to Jember Prison was in order to make a working visit to monitor the local prison.

"The arrival of the Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights to Jember Prison is an honor for us and he saw firsthand the condition of the prison which is already very overcapacity," he said.

He said the total population of Jember Prison was 862 people, with details of 208 prisoners, 592 prisoners and 20 assimilated prisoners.

"The normal standard for residents in Jember Prison is 390 people," he said.