National

Several Non-Violent Inmates Released Early From BDOCS and Deported

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Bahamas Department of Corrections is so crammed that government has been forced to release some non-violent prisoners early.

Published

3 days ago

February 19, 2026

Joshua Williams

NASSAU , THE BAHAMAS – The Bahamas Department of Corrections is so crammed that government has been forced to release some non-violent prisoners early. Many of them being undocumented migrants, deported to their mainland.

With close to two thousand inmates, National Security Minister, Wayne Munroe, said they were forced to act as more undocumented prisoners have entered the prison system.

He spoke to reporters on the sidelines of Aliv’s Security Summit on Thursday morning.

Overcrowding at tThe Bahamas Department of Corrections forced officials to step in.

National Security Minister, Wayne Munroe, told Our News that several inmates, sentenced for non-violent offenses, were released due to the crammed conditions.

Wayne Munroe K.C. – Minister, National Security

“Offenders who are not charged with sexual offenses offenders who are not charged with anything to do would consider serious public risk, and being in this case identified person, particularly who were set for release soon and identified persons who we could deport out of the country back to their home country”

While he couldn’t say exactly how many, The group included Haitian, Jamaican, and American nationals with most of them deported back to Haiti.

The influx of undocumented migrants into the prison system, pushing the population higher.

He says the Prerogative of Mercy was used to release inmates early and he explaine how they were selected.

Wayne Munroe K.C. – Minister, National Security

“Commissioner of correction, sounded the alarm towards the end of last year, and they then went through their records identifying persons who are have non-violent offenses who are set for release in and a short period of time and then they started it then they did the background research and who are you? What is your record? What is your offending? Having in many cases of psychiatrist have a view of them that we have in the prison and then they presented the file to the prerogative of mercy “

The debate on the Parole Bill is expected to begin in Parliament soon and consultation is now complete.

Munroe says that piece of legislation will help alleviate to pressure.

Wayne Munroe K.C. – Minister, National Security

“For some non-violent defense offenses you may consider sentences in the community like house arrest, and like if you do something instead of going to prison and losing your job, you might only be permitted to go to your job and go home and of course go to church cause we never wanna stop people worshiping”