Advocates Association presses gov't to address overcrowded, unsanitary police lockups

The Advocates Association of Jamaica (AAJ) is calling for the Government to urgently address the deplorable state of the country’s police lockups, which it says has been long documented.

The association, in a release today, called for the closure or rehabilitation of unfit facilities such as Denham Town; independent and transparent inspections with findings made public; concrete measures to ease overcrowding; and urgent investment in sanitation, medical care and fire safety.

It pointed to a recent report by the Police Civilian Oversight Authority (PCOA) which investigated the conditions at five of the largest lock-ups in the Area Four policing region- Central, Port Royal, Denham Town, Half-Way Tree and Duhaney Park.

The report, published in the PCOA's quarterly newsletter, detailed concerns of severe overcrowding, bathrooms in “poor or deplorable condition,” pest infestations, stagnant water, and non-functional fire extinguishers. Deficiencies were also found relating to infrastructural decay, safety and health issues.

“These are not inconveniences. They are violations of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life, liberty, and protection from inhuman or degrading treatment. They also breach Jamaica’s obligations under international human rights law. Importantly, many detainees are not convicted but are presumed innocent,” AAJ’s president Tamika Harris stated.

The statement highlighted a 2024 report into the conditions at the Denham town lockup, which revealed that detainees were being brought to court with “sores and spots,” after enduring what they described as “stink and filthy” conditions. It noted too that overcrowding was so severe that detainees slept on the ground and relieved themselves inside cells.

She contends that Jamaica cannot claim to uphold the rule of law while tolerating degrading and life-threatening conditions in its lockups.

“Inaction is no longer an option,” she said.

Sasha-Kay Shaw, AAJ Vice President added: “These are violations of the Constitution and Jamaica’s international human rights obligations. Many detainees are not convicted and are presumed innocent, yet they are forced to live in degrading, unsafe conditions.”

- Sashana Small

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