Email

Print

The Parole Board at the Belize Central Prison is not waiting until the end of the month to decide if thirty one year old inmate Barry Robinson’s parole will be revoked. Today the head of the Parole Board unit Marlette Faux Westby told 7News that they are in the process of revoking the parole. The decision was made following Tuesday’s charge of robbery against the convicted rapist who was on parole when the crime was committed.

In 1998, Barry Robinson raped former UDP Standard Bearer Marissa Quan and he was sentenced to fifteen years in jail. In November of 2008 after serving ten years and seven months he was finally granted parole after being denied six times. However Barry Robinson was no role model. In January of this year he was remanded after being arrested and charged for burglary. He was offered bail and his parole was not revoked.

According to Kolbe’s CEO Mel Auil the parole was not revoked because the robbery charge arose out of a case of mistaken identity. On July first the charge against Barry Robinson was dismissed. But on October sixth Robinson was charged for this most recent robbery. He was again offered bail but this second time around the prison’s Parole Board Unit made sure the parolee had nowhere else to go but back to the Belize Central Prison. Today the Chief Executive Officer and the head of the Parole Unit at the Belize Central Prison held a press conference to discuss the parole procedure.

Marlette Faux Westby, Head - Parole unit, Kolbe Foundation
“Based on that information there was not a revocation given at the time. He was then placed on a more rigid fashion of reporting, he was placed under the supervision of a stricter parole officer because there are people who are more forceful than others. And it was not revoked based on information that we cannot disclose at this time that was given to the Parole Board and the Parole Board then took that into consideration and did not revoke his parole. That is he reason why he was still out there but he was then under very heightened supervision.”

So why was Barry Robinson back in police custody four months later charged with yet another crime, this time burglary?

Marlette Faux Westby,
“What happens is they are being monitored in the community so there is a point when they go to sleep and we go to sleep. We are asleep and they are awake and so he got into this case and I was not pleased when I heard it and I wasn’t looking at the gravity of the case or any information. He was at the court, he was going to be charged and that was sufficient to say bring him back to the prison. Because of the heightened supervision that we were having, there was a concern that he was not able to find gainful employment but was being supported at home. So you look at those things and so when they falter, then you have to look at all the factions that may have brought them to that point and that is the point when you have to say, that’s it.

On a whole parolees must not get involved with criminal activities of any kind, of the smallest, whether it be smoking a joint or seen on the block. That is a violation because that is old behaviour that they should have had addressed and should not be returning to. So we look at those very seriously.”

And while Barry Robinson is back behind bars the question remains why was he granted parole in the first place while he was serving his sentence for rape and he was considered a high risk. CEO Mel Auil says they are governed by the parole laws that state any inmate besides those charged for murder has that right to be paroled once he or she has met certain requirements.

Mel Auil, CEO - Kolbe Foundation
“The position we are placed in to run the facility, we carry out the law. That is our position really and if we decide that we are going to make recommendations, what you are suggesting, then I think it will affect the way how we function behind here because remember we, our philosophy is every single inmate must at least some sort of rehabilitation because almost 98% of every inmate that walks through these doors will walk back out into society regardless of your crime. That is a fact. The only people who will not come out are those who are on life sentence and on life sentence we have 30 inmates out of 1,450 inmates.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“You are saying that you go by only what the law states. You all should have an intimate relationship with these inmates. He has had previous convictions before, he has gotten into trouble before.”

Mel Auil,
“We realize that not everyone can be rehabilitated but we know those who are not making progress, those will not meet the parole board. Those who have come up to the parole board have met the criteria of the behaviour within the prison walls. That is why the board votes and that is why Kolbe only has 3 out of 9 members on that board because we are the ones who are doing the rehabilitation here. It is not us who are actually controlling the final outcome of these parole board hearings. So you have a member of police, the judiciary, the CEO of the Ministry, Human Development, you have a psychiatrist on the board as well. So they are the ones who are not part of Kolbe who can come in and really decide yes or no. So at the end of the day I think it is a fair balanced, the structure is well put together.”

Marlette Faux Westby,
“Based on the law there is only type of crime for which a person cannot apply for parole and that is murder. From manslaughter and everything else that person has the right to apply for parole. Only murder they don’t have the right to.”

According to CEO Auil the inmate had met the criteria for parole including successfully completing a rehabilitation programme and so he was released.

Mel Auil,
“When they leave the prison, there must be support groups outside as well, not only the parole unit but you have your community, you have your family, you have your church. So it is not just Kolbe or the Parole Unit that needs to get involved with these inmates’ lives.”

Marlette Faux Westby,
“The situation with Barry Robinson is an unfortunate one, a very unfortunate one. I saw him earlier that day, that very day that the incident occurred. I saw him earlier in the day. The following morning I received a phone call from a police officer saying that Barry Robinson was in custody and that he was going to be taken down to the court to be charged. I immediately charged the Magistrate’s Court, the Clerk of Court Ms. Petzold, and informed her that I understand that Barry Robinson is in custody, he is a parolee, and he must not be given bail and must not be released, he must be returned to the prison because he is in violation of his parole and that was immediately done and so said Barry Robinson was returned to the prison. Sometimes unfortunately the information comes late, we have to rely on the systems that exist and they have to rely on what they have as well. So sometimes when a parolee is before the court, we would not know until after but we do take action.

He has been returned to the prison, he has been placed in lockdown, he name will be before the board for parole revocation. That is the recommendation coming from Kolbe and the Parole Unit.”

Barry Robinson is not only now behind bars and in isolation lockdown he has lost privileges including the right to have visitors. And whether it has anything to do with what occurred in the case of parolee Barry Robinson some changes are imminent at the Belize Central Prison.

Mel Auil,
“The issue of the parole meetings on a weekly basis and I spoke about the lack of community involvement. What we have recently started is to change the focus of those meetings to a more structured after care type program. So it is not just monitoring but also going to a more after care type program. We’re also looking at strengthening the rehabilitation programs within these walls itself and toughen up the criteria before the parolee, the inmate even comes to the parole board.”

Barry Robinson is now expected to serve his four years left on the rape conviction and if found guilty for the most recent charge of burglary, whatever time is given will be added to that.