Becky Stockhausen (left), executive director of American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica, speaks with Professor Charles Ogletree, a Jesse Climenko Professor of Law and director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Law and Justice, Harvard Law School, during Friday's speaker's forum luncheon, hosted by the chamber at the Hilton Kingston hotel in New Kingston. Ogletree was the guest speaker. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

A senior adviser to United States presidential candidate Barack Obama, has called for Jamaica to implement more programmes to strengthen the rehabilitative capabilities of the prison system.

Charles Ogletree, a professor from Harvard University, who is working with Obama on his bid to win the US presidency in November, told The Gleaner last week that he felt the fight against crime should be primarily focused on prevention.

"There are four steps that I would use to fight the level of crime - preventive (policing), proper education, rehabilitation and ensuring former prisoners are able to get employment after they are released.

Education system

Ogletree, who was the guest speaker at a luncheon hosted on Friday by the American Chamber of Commerce, at the Hilton Kingston hotel, New Kingston, told the gathering that the education system has to be up to standard and efficient.

He also said more programmes needed to be implemented to make former prisoners useful to society and less likely to come out of the system angry and bitter.

Ogletree said former prisoners should be taught skills that ensure they are employable after release and are given the opportunity to develop a fresh perspective on life.

Radio station

During the luncheon, Kevin Wallen, director of the Student Expressing Truth (SET) inmate rehabilitation project, said inmates only need people to believe in them and to give them options when they are released.

Wallen, along with Ogletree, visited the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre on Wednesday and viewed the progress of its prison radio project, which was launched in June of last year.

The radio station, Free FM, is heard throughout the facility and inmates have been trained to deliver the programmes. The station is operated and managed by the inmates who, coordinate the daily activities.

They even determine the content.