Penitentiaries need modern security systems: Yusril
Penitentiaries need modern security systems: Yusril
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza
Mahendra blamed the prisons' poor security systems on Wednesday
for rising numbers of inmates fleeing the penitentiaries.
"It happened ... we admit that two female inmates escaped last
week," Yusril said, referring to a daring escape by three women
inmates from Tangerang Prison last Friday.
"But if we compare with statistical data of previous years, I
have to honestly tell you that the number of escaped inmates
decreased to below 40 percent this year," he told reporters after
attending a book launching, titled "Cross Examination", edited by
noted lawyer O.C. Kaligis at Hotel Mulia Senayan.
The three female inmates identified as Maya, 40, Angle Deby,
30, and Ranni Andriani, 25 escaped from the Tangerang Women and
Children Penitentiary by climbing the four-meter wall surrounding
the prison.
Maya and Angle escaped, but Ranny, a convicted cocaine
smuggler with a death sentence, was left behind after breaking
her hip when she fell from the wall.
During questioning by prison officials, Ranny said Maya and
Angle were serving eight years and 1.5 years imprisonment,
respectively, for drug dealing and consumption.
Police detectives have been distributing pictures of Maya and
Angle and keeping relatives' homes and past residences under
surveillance.
Yusril said, as of today, nothing can be done to improve the
prisons' security systems due to limited funds.
"If you visit the penitentiaries, you will find that they are
in poor condition," he said.
He said that it was only this year that his ministry received
a 30 percent budget increase.
"With the hike, there is little hope of fixing equipment and
supporting facilities at the penitentiaries," he said.
He explained that there were a limited number of prison
officials and a penitentiary has only four guns to secure the
whole complex.
"We don't have money to buy more firearms," he said.
Yusril said it was the prison officials' mistake that allowed
the two female prisoners to escape, but suggested that the
prison's poor security system was also to blame.
The minister said that currently there are 400,000 inmates
detained in prisons across the country.
In January of this year, 26 prisoners managed to escape from
Gunung Sari Penitentiary in South Sulawesi by pushing over a wall
under reconstruction.
In March, Tjong Yan Men escaped from Salemba Penitentiary
officials during his visit to Graha Medika hospital in West
Jakarta.
In June, 531 prisoners almost broke away from the Bulak Kapal
Prison in Bekasi, while in November, four prisoners escaped from
the Ciracas police subprecinct station in East Jakarta. (01)