In a major policy shift aimed at toughening the country’s criminal justice system, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has revealed plans to strip the top prison administrator of a long-held power to cut inmates’ original sentences by up to one-third. The announcement came during an appearance on the local Browne and Browne Show, where Browne said he has already issued formal directions to Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin to implement the change starting as early as next week.
Under the current framework, the prison superintendent is authorized to grant the one-third sentence reduction to inmates who record good behavior during their incarceration. But Browne has publicly pushed back against this long-standing practice, arguing that refraining from violence or major rule-breaking behind bars should not be enough to automatically earn an inmate early release from court-ordered sentences.
Instead of automatic reductions for good conduct, Browne is proposing a penalty-focused system that adds extra prison time for inmates who engage in fights or other violations of prison rules. “If you get in a fight in the prison or any bad behaviour, you spend additional time,” the prime minister explained during the program.
Browne’s core concern centers on the combined effect of sentence cuts from both judicial rulings and prison administration, which he says can leave perpetrators of violent and serious offenses serving only a small portion of their original court-ordered sentences. This gap is particularly alarming, he noted, in cases involving firearm-related crimes, sexual offenses, and repeat offenders who repeatedly cycle through the justice system.
Countering common arguments in favor of early release, the prime minister contended that overly short sentences actually work against effective rehabilitation. He explained that when inmates are released back to society after serving only a fraction of their sentence, correctional and support teams do not have enough time to deliver the job training, behavioral treatment and social reintegration support that persistent offenders need to avoid reoffending.
The reform push does not end with limiting the prison superintendent’s power. The Browne administration is also preparing to bring legislative proposals to Parliament that would raise maximum possible sentences for serious gun and sexual offenses, while introducing mandatory minimum penalties for these high-harm crimes to ensure convicted offenders serve substantial time behind bars.