Gov’t addressing prison problems

Admitting deplorable prison conditions on the island, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio assured yesterday the government has moved ahead in trying to build a new jail in efforts to address overcrowding and other problems in the Division of Corrections.

He said, however, that he would look into the complaints expressed by three inmates in a letter sent to his office seeking justification to their recent escape that has highlighted again the state of the existing DOC facility.

“We did receive that so-called letter from the inmates. Our first reaction is we want to look into that. But for the information of the public, we are addressing those issues now and we are working so hard,” Tenorio told reporters in an interview.

The prison task force, formed last year by the governor and headed by Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider, is meeting regularly to expedite the project which will improve prison conditions and upgrade structures estimated to cost more than $8 million.

“The committee is working so hard on that. We are almost ready to use some of the buildings for these low-security prisoners. We are concerned about (the conditions) and that has been the major issue,” he added.

Shawn C. Appleby, Melvin N. Basa and Jeronimo S. Ada, who bolted out of their cells last Oct. 10 but were recaptured two days later, wrote to Tenorio to complain against what they claimed inhuman conditions in the prison.

They also apologized to the governor for the jailbreak — the fourth in a string of escapes that occurred under the command of Public Safety Commissioner Charles W. Ingram — and asked him to visit the corrections for a dialogue with the inmates.

Saying he has been to the division and has seen the conditions there, Tenorio agreed something needs to be done to prevent similar incidents in the future.

“I love to do that (visit),” he explained. “I know the situation and that’s why the task force is very concerned and we are already building one structure there to accommodate some of the non-violent inmates to ease present facility. We don’t have enough facility at this time for everybody.”

Tenorio met with Ingram on Tuesday immediately after receiving the letter to discuss the issues raised by the three inmates who are now facing escape charges. A report is expected to be released by DPS on its investigation of the incident.

Aside from alleged violations of constitutional rights, they complained about dirty bathroom and toilet, rooms infested with mosquitoes and lousy food, as well as about not being served milk. They also sought the ouster of some DOC officials, including Director Greg T. Castro.

“The concerns they raised also are part of the committee’s concerns and they are addressing them. They continue to meet because those are important issues that we would like to correct because we are required to do that under the consent decree,” said Tenorio.

Last February, the U.S. Department of Justice reached an agreement with the CNMI to improve correctional and detention facilities here, which it denounced as unsafe and unsanitary.