Belize’s Recidivism Rate Down to 13%; the Reason under Review
Belize’s recidivism rate is said to be down at thirteen percent. That is the data coming from a study that has been done by Doctor Terrence Alladin, an associate professor at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania. Today, Alladin wrapped up a presentation on Empathy and Recidivism, measuring re-incarceration at the Belize Central Prison. While the figure is encouraging, Alladin believes that that percentage could be off and that there could be something that is not being detected in Belize’s prison system. That’s because even in the great United States and other developed countries with effective intervention programs, the repeat offenders’ list is long. News Five’s Marion Ali stopped by the Belize Institute of Management where a lecture with representatives from the prison, police, university, and other relevant departments was in full gear. Here’s her report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The rehabilitation program at the Belize Central Prison has been lauded for its efficacy in yielding a low number of repeat offenders. But that number was not determined before now. A three-year study completed by associate professor at Lebanon Valley College, Dr. Terrence Alladin reveals that the figure is as low as thirteen percent. It’s encouraging news for Director of the Belize Central Prison, Virgilio Murillo, who had a higher estimate.
Virgilio Murillo
Virgilio Murillo, Director, Belize Central Prison
“All along I was of the feeling, as the director of the prison, that we were between 15 and 20%, but I didn’t have the scientific data to prove what I was saying all along. It was just my feeling based on what I saw happening at the prison, based on who I saw coming back to the prison. So, it gave me that estimation of 15 to 20 percent, but I was proven to be wrong. It’s 13 percent.”
The study is the result of a joint effort along with the prison and Galen University. Adjunct Lecturer of Galen’s Criminal Justice Program, Zain Duhaney told News Five that the information is reliable and useful to the educational institution.
Zain Duhaney
Zain Duhaney, Adjunct Lecturer, Galen’s Criminal Justice Program
“His information is very up-to-date. You have the partnership with the Belize Central Prison or the Kolbe Foundation, which actually allowed that information to be very precise. So I would say currently he has probably some of the most up to date research that is out there on the topic. So I am saying that the hope now as an adjunct lecturer is that his report will be used in some of the discussions and the classes that I am teaching to make it relevant and that the students understand the problems that we’re having in Belize.”
But while thirteen percent for a national report of Belize’s repeat offenders is music to some people’s ears, the man who conducted the study, Dr. Terrence Alladin says there might be some hidden factors.
Terrence Alladin
Dr. Terrence Alladin, Associate Professor, Lebanon Valley College, PA, USA
“I have to be a bit careful because I’m only looking at three years, and those COVID numbers can make a difference in whether you can either make it higher or lower, and I don’t know that. So what I plan to do, because I – this was originally a three-year research, I plan to go for another two years because COVID affected the last two years. This is not concrete, I think the fact that we have a large remand population, that could also have an effect on the numbers, so – but again – I’m not sure as yet, because I still need more data to make conclusive results.”
Whether Belize’s actual recidivism rate is higher or lower than thirteen percent, one man who has changed his path in life says the change has to come from within. Lane Grinage went from being a repeat offender to now being an employee at the prison as the facility’s Director of the Remand and Rehab Centre.
Lane Grinage
Lane Grinage, Director, Remand/Rehab Centre
“My own background started about within a time span of 15 years, starting out as petty crimes, you know, and then going up to more property offenses and then weaponry offenses, you know. My criminal history consists of four remands and one conviction, with the conviction being this last circumstance, you know, but through this conviction, it was what got me to really open my mind and my heart to change because of not wanting to continue living that life of crime and prison as an inmate. I was making bad decisions and choices and looking at all the things that I lost and the relationships that were broken, especially with my family, you know, my mom and siblings, that took a great part of me away. So I was like, you know, and especially the embarrassment I felt, whenever, especially with the background that my family has in the system, as police officers and magistrates and B.D.F and Coast Guard and all these things, and I’m like, I thought I’d be looked at as a criminal.”
Marion Ali for News Five.
