KUWAIT CITY, July 29: The Correctional Institutions General Department at the Interior Ministry confirmed that the new building for the deportation prison (‘Talha’) will be handed over in early October. Sources told the daily that the department will soon lay down a plan to transfer prisoners from the old Talha Prison to the new building. Sources revealed the new deportation prison used to be the Juvenile Prison Administration building located in the prison area in Sulaibiya, adjacent to the Special Security Forces General Department building.

Sources added this building, which has been completely renovated, can accommodate around 1,500 to 2,000 deportees in the men’s section; while the women’s section has a capacity of 500 deportees. Sources said the new building consists of flight reservation offices, other offices affiliated with the Criminal Evidence General Department, two clinics -- one for women and one for men, administration offices and some service offices. Sources clarified the old Talha Prison building is dilapidated and it is no longer in line with security and safety regulations.

On the other hand, sources confirmed that for the first time this year; the Correctional Institutions General Department completed the academic tests for prisoners who are continuing their studies at various educational levels in the evening, in cooperation with the Farwaniya Educational District Administration and the Education Ministry. Sources pointed out that for the first time, inmates studying in high school were able to take the tests inside the prison building and those in transfer classes took the tests successfully.

Sources said the department is waiting for the response of Kuwait University and the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) about the need for a mechanism for inmates to continue their academic and technical studies. Sources went on to affirm that there is a new development in the services provided by correctional institutions to inmates and their families, as the department has created a new authorization form for an inmate to sign authorizing one of his relatives to complete his transactions in any of the ministries and other government entities. Sources added the Prison Security Department provides a full report on the inmate’s case and the length of his sentence, and this report is attached to the authorization and stamped by the correctional institutions for completion of the inmate’s transactions in government institutions.