Incarceration of Juvenile raises Questions

 The matter of a juvenile offender who during his incarceration was left throughout the night in the same cell with an adult stranger was brought up at the 1 November sitting of the Legislative Council in the questions and answers segment. The questions were asked by the Representative for the Third District, Hon. Julian Frazer and answered by Chief Minister Dr. the Hon. D. Orlando Smith.

The member for the Third District asked the Chief Minister if it was customary for the police to hold juvenile prisoners overnight in the same room with adults. Hon. Smith answered that it was not the practice of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force to imprison juveniles overnight in the same room as adults.  He explained that the practice is for young offenders in police custody to be held separately in the charge room instead of cells.

The Third District Representative then asked whether the Chief Minister was aware that a 13 year-old male, BVI High School student was arrested on 17 October and was confined for two nights in a cell of approximately 17 by 13 feet with an adult male who was a total stranger.

Dr. Smith announced that he was aware of that particular situation. However, he pointed out that the young man referred to was kept in the charge room throughout his detention, not in the cells. The Chief Minister further explained that on the 17 October the police were holding four adult male detainees and six illegal immigrants in the two cells at  the Road Town Police Station, and in order to alleviate overcrowding the police moved one of the adult detainees into the charge room with the juvenile. Chief Minister Smith mentioned that later that night because of plumbing problems and flooding in one of the cells another adult male was placed in the charge room while the plumbing was addressed.  Hon. Smith added that a Sergeant who was on duty had complete view of the charge room from his station at all times. “The juvenile was released from custody as soon as his parents agreed to stand surety,” he pointed out.