Guyana's Prisons: Colonial Histories of Post‐Colonial Challenges
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/hojo.12382 |
| Date | 01 September 2020 |
| Published date | 01 September 2020 |
The Howard Journal Vol59 No 3. September 2020 DOI: 10.1111/hojo.12382
ISSN 2059-1098, pp. 335–349
Guyana’s Prisons: Colonial Histories
of Post-Colonial Challenges
CLARE ANDERSON, MELLISSA IFILL,
ESTHERINE ADAMS and KELLIE MOSS
Clare Anderson is Professor of History, School of History, Politics and
International Relations, University of Leicester; Mellissa Ifill is Lecturer,
Department of Social Studies, University of Guyana; Estherine Adams is
Lecturer, Department of Social Studies, University of Guyana; Kellie Moss is
Research Associate, School of History, Politics and International Relations,
University of Leicester
Abstract: This article argues that history can play a role in addressing present-day con-
cerns about the form and function of incarceration in the post-colonial nation of Guyana.
It analyses some of the key features of imprisonment during the British colonial period
(1814–1966), and connects them to the challenges faced by the prisons sector since In-
dependence in 1966. The authors suggest that an appreciation of the history of jails in
Guyana – including issues connected with prison capacity, overcrowding, training and
education, and rehabilitation – can play a role in inspiring and supporting change in the
Guyana Prison Service. In this way, the article suggests, historical researchcan impact on
the administration of criminal justice in Guyana – and potentially in other contemporary
post-colonial contexts, both within, and beyond, the Caribbean region.
Keywords: British Guiana; colonialism; criminal justice; Guyana; history; jails;
prisons; punishment; security
Violence, crime, and insecurity have jeopardised and undermined devel-
opment in Guyana since Independence in 1966 (Granger 2011). In the
last two decades, in common with other countries, including neighbour-
ing Caribbean states, Guyana has sought to enhance citizen security by
designing and implementing new reforms centred on traditional control-
oriented state protection, preventative, and rights-based strategies. Succes-
sive governments have partnered with overseas institutions to implement
projects aimed at modernising the administration of criminal justice and
policing (Canadian Bar Association 2015; Inter-American Development
Bank 2015). However, except for a recently launched project that seeks
to reduce pretrial detention and increase the use of alternative sentences
335
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2020 The Authors. The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice published by Howard League
and John Wiley & Sons Ltd
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which per-
mits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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