The island’s prison service will be boosted by an additional 18 corrections officers next month, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice told the Senate today.

Kim Wilkerson said the move is part of a “comprehensive reform agenda” which includes the hiring of a licensed consultant psychologist to strengthen executive decision making at the Department of Corrections.

She also announced the appointment of three new members to the Treatment of Offenders Board while a new Bermuda Parole Board has been named.

Prison staff have reportedly worked under crisis conditions for years and in April, Timothy Seon, the chairman of the Prison Officers Association, told The Royal Gazette that the Department of Corrections was given clearance to hire up to 40 officers.

The figure falls short of the 100 Mr Seon said in December were needed to get back up to full capacity.

The Treatment of Offenders Board in its 2024 Annual Report said “persistent understaffing” affected operations of the department’s facilities and the wellbeing of the inmate population.

Ms Wilkerson told the Senate today that the first tranche of recruitment from local applicants will be completed next month with the additional 18 officers.

She said recruitment efforts were under way to fill another 17 posts based on submissions from regional applicants.

The Attorney-General said: “These additional officers will ease the burden on existing staff, underscoring our recognition that officer wellbeing is paramount.”

She said the hiring of the consultant psychologist, who holds a wealth of experience in correctional psychology and staff wellness, will be crucial in improving conditions for officers and inmates.

The psychologist — formerly with the New York City Department of Corrections on Rikers Island — will also provide guidance to the department in identifying the required credentials for a new wellness officer post.

This will ensure the right professional is hired to strengthen working conditions and boost morale among officers, Ms Wilkerson said.

“For, without healthy officers, there can be no healthy corrections system,” she added.

While psychological services are primarily provided for inmates, she said the department’s psychologists also provide consistent support and consultation for staff in times of crisis.

Ms Wilkerson told senators: “This support and consultation are offered for staff to enhance their understanding of the needs of incarcerated persons [and] how best to work with them.

“The department has provided training for staff to enhance their skills and knowledge, and have added reflective practice sessions for staff to support with enhancing their wellbeing and their practice.”

She said existing services provided by the psychology department include clinical interventions on a one-to-one basis and within a group setting.

She told the Senate that the Treatment of Offenders Board has been strengthened by three new members — the Reverend Emily Gail Dill, a government MP, Robyn Swan, a former senator, and Eron Hill, a justice campaigner — who began their tenure on July 1.

She said Ms Swan, a former prison officer, gained first-hand insight into Bermuda’s correctional system, before moving on to serve in the Senate for the One Bermuda Alliance.

Ms Wilkerson said Mr Hill, the founder of the Bermuda Equal Justice Initiative, has spearheaded public education campaigns, legal interventions and community-based advocacy to advance fair treatment for all, particularly the disfavoured and forgotten.

She said that Dr Dill is a passionate advocate for youth development, community service, spiritual leadership and the arts.

Ms Wilkerson also announced the appointment of Vaughan Caines, a legal counsel, Cherita Rayner, a psychologist, and Ernest Peets, a therapist, to the parole board.

The Senate also heard about infrastructure upgrades to the Westgate and Co-Ed correctional facilities, the planned delivery of a six-week grief and loss pilot support programme, and a literacy and empowerment programme for inmates.

Ms Wilkerson said the corrections department has liaised with the Department of Works and Engineering to team up with private contractors “as a matter of urgency” to address ventilation and roofing repairs at the prison.

She said the department will engage the Gina Spence Programme to deliver a grief and loss support scheme to examine “unaddressed trauma”, which the minister noted is often recognised as the root cause of offending behaviour.

Ms Wilkerson said: “This programme will provide critical clinical and educational grief support through group and individual counselling for both inmates and correctional staff, addressing unresolved trauma and equipping participants with healthier coping strategies.”

The Senate heard that Ajala Omodele, a Bermudian educator and literacy specialist, will deliver the Sankofa Education and Empowerment Programme to inmates.

She said many inmates struggle with literacy and a lack of personal empowerment, which negatively affects their ability to rebuild their lives once they are released.

“It is also a critical factor in how they became disconnected from society in the first place,” she added.

The programme will provide comprehensive literacy, reading and math instruction as well postsecondary education tutoring support to inmates across all corrections facilities.

It aims to inspire and educate participants, fostering a sense of self-worth and possibility, the Attorney-General added.

• To read the minister’s statement in full, see Related Media

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