American tourist paints horrific picture of Jamaican jail in online blog
An American visitor has given a horrifying description of a Jamaican jail where her husband was detained following his arrest at the Sangster International airport for possession of ammunition.
The woman, Kristie and her husband, Stephen are now both home following their visit to the island.
In her post Kristie describes the terrible ordeal her husband experienced for “unknowingly possessing ammunition”.
According to her post, she and her husband had just celebrated their 25th anniversary in Jamaica. While departing the island, the the couple was confronted by an airport screener who discovered a hidden shot gun shell at the bottom of their swim bag.
They had no idea it had been there all week, said Kristie, because they had been through numerous airport security checkpoints several times on their way to the Caribbean.
She elaborated on the condition of the jail which temporarily housed her husband.
She described it as “a sweltering, dingy and nearly windowless jail cell where he was stripped of his wallet, cell phone and other personal belongings. Alongside four obscure inmates, he was tossed a change of clothing he used as a pillow and a small toothbrush.”
The jail house was deafening and it was impossible to sleep with shouts and threats. The bathroom was unclean,had of a hole in the ground and a strong smell of human waste. Even fist fights were ongoing from surrounding holding pens, she claimed.
In the early mornings, guards extended her husband a single piece of dry, white bread and a paper cup of pink Koolaid. They offered him porridge but demanded payment for the service bowl even though Stephen’s wallet had been confiscated. He had nothing to barter with and quickly discovered that he was unable to buy porridge or toilet paper or a bath towel.
Following the advice of the US Embassy, Krisite spent $US 3000 to hire a prominent Jamaican lawyer who managed to get the matter resolved speedily.
Stephen spent three days in jail.
Despite the resolution, Kristie said she is still concerned about those left behind “growing desperate in deplorable conditions”.
Does she have much to complain about? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
COMPLAIN YES CAUSE EVEN IN JAIL ONE SHOULD STIL HAVE SOME FORM OF DIGNITY
Hell yes, they once too me off my flt. telling me they saw something suspicious in my 3 yr. old suitcase (5lb. Loaf of bread). When I told them bad word, they locked me up, saying badword is illegal in Jamaica. They took me to Halfway Tree lockup and put me in a solid concrete cell, with no bathroom or toilet for 5 hrs. I had to piss on the floor. I had to pay them $8000 to set me free. I will never forget. It was filthy, not made for a human.
i
Honey it’s jail not Sandals Hotel.
Seems like she was at a better jail than most. Good for her. Welcome to Sodom.
well come to jamrock
Her story is true ,jail house in Jamaica is very deplorable, I would not want no one to go there.sometimes all 5to 6persons to one single cell that has two bunks,and you do shit in a hole in the ground
hell…..I lived in japan and there was a hole in the ground and no toilet…we had to find one and put it over the hole….apparently a lot of places overseas do not use tiolet and just squat over the hole…..this was the place I had to rent to live in…yup….a cottage by the beach ..one step tek mi tru di front room two steps bed room and one more step bathroom……raw sewage was floating down the sidewalk with poop in it….at least I wasn’t locked up……sometimes when you think your life is bad, there are others who are having it… Read more »
True but the details seem a bit fabricated to me.
Her story is so true government of Jamaican need to do better people there are all human. Jamaican prison are for rat ,roach ,dogs and cats …its so sad for me to say welcome to jam rock this is how we are treated her …
You break LAWS and want to enter into COMFORT ZONE. I have seen what breaking the LAWS of the Lord thy God gives. But breaking the LAWS of men you want COMFORT when not even the Lord thy God give such. Live not to break LAWS so you don’t ended up in PRISON. Taxpayers money is not to give COMFORT unto prisoners who KNOW what they were doing but “taking the risk because man must hustle”. Hugs
Tell it like it is, the truth is the truth plain and simple!
Once in jail you have no rights , except for a fear tryal .
She is talking the truth so what complain of course .it worst than how she put it far worst.
Lol – sponsor some AC! Not to worry those left behind don’t fuss about the heat, they are use to sweltering.
Jamaica has been a member country of the United Nations since 1962. The treaties that are inherent to the UN regarding “Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment” may be what this couple needs to look at. Countries that cannot extend basic human rights to even prisoners are countries that will never achieve any level of success. The International Humans Bill of Rights can be accessed here: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx
if that was a Jamaican in the United states, “dog nahm him suppa”
this woman has nothing to complain about, i know our jails are in bad condition, but so are others everywhere, even in the usa, comon lady its a jail for christ sake. and he did only spend 3 days, he’s lucky.
IT’S JAIL,,NOT SUPPOSED TO BE COMFORTABLE!!!!!! Maybe if the rest of the world followed suit we would have less VIOLENCE!!!!!!
OMG! Not much difference from Victorian times. Prison should mean prison instead of holiday camps. There must be detterents to commit crimes and reoffending but it’s time that the Jamaican government and the ministry of justice to emancipate the country from this slavery system and modernise. I am surprised that the system can still be described in the same way it was when I worked there in the 80s. If it’s like this for prisoners I can just imagine what it is like for the staff and to be embracing this as some kind of policy is horrendous. I must… Read more »
The prison conditions have been overlooked for too long,.
Locked up abroad. lol
Don’t believe the police tried to sell her husband porridge.
Jamaican police should know the first amendment of the usa and dount play stupid but be moor international
Honey it’s jail not Sandals Hotel.
Her story is so true government of Jamaican need to do better people there are all human. Jamaican prison are for rat ,roach ,dogs and cats …its so sad for me to say welcome to jam rock this is how we are treated her …
hell…..I lived in japan and there was a hole in the ground and no toilet…we had to find one and put it over the hole….apparently a lot of places overseas do not use tiolet and just squat over the hole…..this was the place I had to rent to live in…yup….a cottage by the beach ..one step tek mi tru di front room two steps bed room and one more step bathroom……raw sewage was floating down the sidewalk with poop in it….at least I wasn’t locked up……sometimes when you think your life is bad, there are others who are having it… Read more »
Seems like she was at a better jail than most. Good for her. Welcome to Sodom.
well come to jamrock
Hell yes, they once too me off my flt. telling me they saw something suspicious in my 3 yr. old suitcase (5lb. Loaf of bread). When I told them bad word, they locked me up, saying badword is illegal in Jamaica. They took me to Halfway Tree lockup and put me in a solid concrete cell, with no bathroom or toilet for 5 hrs. I had to piss on the floor. I had to pay them $8000 to set me free. I will never forget. It was filthy, not made for a human.
i
Jamaica has been a member country of the United Nations since 1962. The treaties that are inherent to the UN regarding “Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment” may be what this couple needs to look at. Countries that cannot extend basic human rights to even prisoners are countries that will never achieve any level of success. The International Humans Bill of Rights can be accessed here: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx
this woman has nothing to complain about, i know our jails are in bad condition, but so are others everywhere, even in the usa, comon lady its a jail for christ sake. and he did only spend 3 days, he’s lucky.
You break LAWS and want to enter into COMFORT ZONE. I have seen what breaking the LAWS of the Lord thy God gives. But breaking the LAWS of men you want COMFORT when not even the Lord thy God give such. Live not to break LAWS so you don’t ended up in PRISON. Taxpayers money is not to give COMFORT unto prisoners who KNOW what they were doing but “taking the risk because man must hustle”. Hugs
Locked up abroad. lol
Tell it like it is, the truth is the truth plain and simple!
True but the details seem a bit fabricated to me.
OMG! Not much difference from Victorian times. Prison should mean prison instead of holiday camps. There must be detterents to commit crimes and reoffending but it’s time that the Jamaican government and the ministry of justice to emancipate the country from this slavery system and modernise. I am surprised that the system can still be described in the same way it was when I worked there in the 80s. If it’s like this for prisoners I can just imagine what it is like for the staff and to be embracing this as some kind of policy is horrendous. I must… Read more »
IT’S JAIL,,NOT SUPPOSED TO BE COMFORTABLE!!!!!! Maybe if the rest of the world followed suit we would have less VIOLENCE!!!!!!
Don’t believe the police tried to sell her husband porridge.
Her story is true ,jail house in Jamaica is very deplorable, I would not want no one to go there.sometimes all 5to 6persons to one single cell that has two bunks,and you do shit in a hole in the ground
The prison conditions have been overlooked for too long,.
if that was a Jamaican in the United states, “dog nahm him suppa”
She is talking the truth so what complain of course .it worst than how she put it far worst.
Once in jail you have no rights , except for a fear tryal .
Lol – sponsor some AC! Not to worry those left behind don’t fuss about the heat, they are use to sweltering.