fp Turks and Caicos

Her Majesty’s Prison on Grand Turk has expanded visiting hours for prisoners and will begin a program to help rehabilitate prisoners.

Social visits were available only on weekends, Saturday and Sunday from 10-11:45 a.m. and 2:30-4 p.m. Beginning July 1, additional visiting hours will be 2:30-4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, but those visits must be arranged ahead of time with the prison, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Public Safety said.

Two visits per month are allowed — 20 minutes for remanded prisoners and 30 minutes for convicted prisoners.

“Family members are reminded that maintaining family ties plays a significant part in rehabilitating offenders prior to their release back into society,” the ministry said.

Beginning July 4, the prison will hold its first “Just Think” program, which was developed by tutors from the U.K. and expands the rehabilitation agenda at the prison. It aims to focus offenders on improving their thinking skills, to look at how poor thinking can lead to poor consequences and actions, and how a structured approach to developing enhanced thinking skills can lead to a positive change and outcome.

The first course will run for two weeks and involve eight offenders and two prison staff tutors, Senior Officer Meshelle Jennings and Officer Robert Lewis.