A Latin American prison services conference opens in Barbados on Thursday, to explore how national correctional agencies can develop a forum for sharing good practice, in order to achieve a safer society in their own countries.

This first International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) Latin American Regional Workshop runs for three days at the south coast Savannah hotel. It is the forerunner to the full ICPA 11th Annual General Meeting and Conference, opening here on October 25. The Barbados Prison Service is hosting both meetings.

The Latin American Regional Conference builds directly on the work of the Mexico-hosted prisons seminar of last June, that identified a number of key issues facing corrections in Latin America. Thus, the ICPA Regional Workshop will consider effective practical strategies that have been successful in addressing them, exploring in depth several of these issues.

Another conference aim is to examine how ICPA, the US State Department and other bureaux can help in advancing the process towards a safer Latin American society.

This Bridgetown consultation will also explore avenues for future collaboration and, in particular, the 2012 ICPA conference in Mexico.

The workshop has been organised by the ICPA in partnership with the Mexican, Argentine and Brazilian Prison Services and in cooperation with the US State Department.

tadams@barbados.gov.bb

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