Woman’s jail experience sparks passion to serve

Stacy* sat under a tent at the National Arena on Friday, surrounded by a crowd of hopefuls and curious onlookers. Every few minutes, the 33-year-old smoothed her suit and checked her hair, using the camera on her phone, as she waited to be interviewed at the Corrections Expo and Recruitment Drive 2025.

Nervous but determined, Stacy told THE STAR that her recent ambition is to build a career in corrections. She disclosed that she spent close to a month away in lock-up a little over a decade ago. She declined to give details of the case but said the matter was dismissed and that she has a clean record. She also credits a correctional officer's compassion during a desperate moment as the reason she wants to join the service.

"My case was eventually thrown out, but I had to make two court appearances before this was done," Stacy said.

"The first time I went to court, the judge remanded me for over two weeks and I thought I was going to die. At that time, females were staying over Fort Augusta and that's where I was sent until my next date," she related.

She said the experience was nightmarish. She recalled a low point the morning she had to take a mugshot -- overwhelmed, she broke down in tears until a female correctional officer comforted her.

"Mi nuh know if she was suppose to get so close, but I remember her just holding me and say "It will be okay, little one'. Honestly, at the time, I felt like ending my life because I didn't want to spend another day with those women, but she gave me words of encouragement and really looked out for me," Stacy said.

Friday's expo is part of the national observance of Corrections Week and marks the 50th anniversary of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS). The theme for this year's observance is 'Excellence in securing, Rehabilitating and Reintegrating Lives for a Safer Jamaica'.

For Stacy, the expo was more than a recruitment drive, but a chance to turn a painful past into a purposeful future.

Commissioner of Corrections Radgh Mason described the expo as more than a public display of booths, but a campaign to change perceptions about life inside the correctional system.

"Corrections is not just about punishment but about closing the loop of justice and working with the justice system to make people better. It is about showing the public, partners and recruits that corrections is transforming, and creating a safer Jamaica," he said.

Mason also used the platform to outline the department's current population and challenges.

"Today in custody, we have approximately 3,500 adults and 164 children in our juvenile institutions. In our non-custodial numbers, we have 2,288 adults and 249 children, inclusive of over 400 sex offenders being monitored. This makes a grand total of approximately 6,200 offenders to be managed," he said.

Throughout the day, the expo showcased the practical outcomes of those programmes: inmates from across the island displayed artwork, bedroom sets, fashion pieces and other crafts, while a live DCS band and solo performers entertained the crowd.

Junior Minister of National Security and Peace, Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, said the focus must be on restoring dignity and preparing people to rejoin society as productive citizens.

"The DCS understand that the true measure of success is not only the safety that is maintained within the walls but the lives positively changed and reintegrating into society. Rehabilitation remains at the heart of the department's vision through structured programmes, inmate are equipped with practical skills, knowledge and confidence in order to presume meaningful employment or establish businesses upon their release," she said.