prisoners.

And the TV technology could save hundreds of dollars during time-consuming court procedures.

Commissioner of Prisons Mr. Ed Dyer revealed that Government is looking into providing a TV link between the new prison and Magistrates' Court.

It is just part of the high technology prison service which will be of major interest to a symposium of Caribbean countries which will be held in Bermuda at the end of the year.

The symposium features new ideas from prison experts all over the world and the new prison is expected to be a "state of the art'' example of modern jails.

The whole system at the prison is to be computerised with automatic opening of doors, an intricate intercom network and a TV surveillance system.

The idea of linking the prison with the court is to prevent repeated trips by remand prisoners to court for "mention'' dates.

Prisoners remanded on serious crimes have to appear before Magistrates once a fortnight normally to check on how their case is proceeding.

It means Magistrates must deal with the cases first, during plea court and other sessions, so the prisoners can be sent quickly back to the prison. But it also means checking prisoners out of the prison, transporting them into Hamilton and back. Some prisoners see this as an opportunity to get out of the confines of their cells every two weeks.

Mr. Dyer said that the Government will be looking into the television link next year when the prison has been running at least six months.

He said: "There will be a screen in the court room and one in the prison so the prisoners can "appear'' in court.

"It is another way of keeping criminals in jail as much as possible. That is the idea of the new prison which inmates will find more severe than Casemates.''