The Fiji Corrections Service has clarified that inmates can be released early through remission and parole. This clarification follows confusion regarding early releases from rehabilitation centers.
The Fiji Corrections Service explained that remission involves shortening an inmate’s sentence due to good behavior. Under the Corrections Service Act 2006, the Commissioner of Corrections can reduce a prisoner’s sentence by one-third for good behavior.
Parole, on the other hand, allows an inmate to be released before completing their full sentence, provided they regularly report to a supervising officer and continue to display good behavior. The Parole Board, also established by the Corrections Service Act 2006, determines whether an inmate qualifies for parole.
The service acknowledged there had been confusion about the interplay between remission and parole. According to the Fiji Corrections Service, the Supreme Court highlighted that under Section 27(4), inmates must serve the full non-parole period set by the court, which has led to misunderstandings about combining these processes.
The Supreme Court clarified that while the non-parole period set by the court restricts the Parole Board’s ability to release inmates early, it does not affect the Commissioner’s power to grant remission. The court’s non-parole period only limits the Parole Board and not the Commissioner’s authority to shorten sentences through remission.
It has been recommended that Section 27(4) of the Corrections Service Act 2006 be removed to ensure the rules regarding remission and parole are clear and comprehensible. Removing this section would help clarify the processes and make the system fairer and more transparent, benefiting both inmates and the correctional system.