RCS strives to reduce the ratio of inmates per prison guard

Rwanda Correctional Services (RCS) has announced its target to reduce the number of prisoners per prison guard for better correctional services.

This was announced during a press conference held at RCS Headquarters in Kigali on December 30, 2019.

Currently, RCS records 2400 prison guards who provide services to 74,000 prisoners in 13 correctional facilities countrywide.

The ratio of prisoner per guard in Rwanda is 30/1, the Commissioner General of RCS, CG George Rwigamba said while addressing the press conference. The target of the country is 20/1, according to CG Rwigamba who said that more is being done to achieve it.

“We want to reduce these figures, over 600 new prison guards are being trained in Rwamagana Training Center. In some developed countries, the ratio 10/1, and 7/1 in others but Rwanda is targeting 20/1 to improve quality of service delivery” he said.

In order to control the movement of inmates inside and around the prisons, RCS has started to install security cameras which help in crimes prevention.

Three prisoners who attempted to escape this year, at the time of the visit outside the cells, have been shot dead, Rwigamba said. RCS also registered seven cases of prisoners who escaped from TIG work camps this year but three were returned.

Overpopulation in prison cells is among the challenges RCS is facing today. The Commissioner General said to handle the issue, the institution tries to expand the existing infrastructures and building new ones.