Assaults on inmates and prison officers have soared, according to statistics released in the Budget.

It revealed inmate on inmate violence had gone from 14 to 22 a year while assaults on officers had more than doubled to nine in 2003.

Prison Officers Association spokesman Russ Ford said he was not surprised at the rise and blamed overworked staff coping with huge numbers of prisoners who were increasingly stressed.

Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Randy Horton agreed overcrowding had been a factor and ordered Prisons boss John Prescod to come up with new strategies to curb the violence.

He said the worst case involved a prison officer who was choked by an inmate.

Mr. Ford said: ?I am well aware there has been an increase in the last year and certainly that has a lot to do with the problems highlighted throughout 2003 in terms of the shortage of manpower.

?There?s also the frustration and de-motivation of staff and also their ability to carry out their functions in a thorough manner.

?It is certainly no surprise to me. If there is a shortage of manpower certain things don?t get done in a manner you want them to be done.?

However, he commended staff for being cool and vigilant despite pressing circumstances and said several riots had been averted.

?There have been situations that potentially could have gone to that level but with quick thinking and some smart situation management on the part of the corrections officers they have been quelled.

?But it doesn?t mean we should rest on our laurels.?

He pointed out that, unlike Police officers who might have to cope with hardened criminals for up to 72 hours while they were in their custody, Prison Officers could have them for 15 years or a lifetime.

He said the recent recruitment of 14 officers put numbers near the authorised level of 165 officers.

But he said manpower levels were down on the new levels agreed in the 2001 board of inquiry which had followed a work to rule by fed-up officers.

In April last year prison officers went on strike, this time in protest at the lack of action on things agreed in that board of inquiry.

In November they threatened further strike action in frustration with the lack of reform and they boycotted an international prisons conference held in Bermuda.

They feared 100 percent occupancy at Westgate was posing a security risk amid acute staff shortages. It forced Government to move some prisoners out of Westgate.

Mr. Ford said inmate numbers were around 203 ? five less than the maximum.

Officers are now anxiously awaiting the results of the January tribunal into ongoing problems at the prison headed by the Rev. Goodwin Smith. They are expected in early March.

The Budget also revealed that many more inmates were involved in education programmes as numbers jumped from 92 to 147 while Government was making inroads into reducing recidivism which fell from 80 percent to 65 percent.

However, Mr. Ford said several programmes have not run as a result of insufficient staff.

?That is for the administration to address.?

Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Randolph Horton said the increases in assaults seen in 2003 were with respect to relatively minor incidents.

?A number of these incidents involved Westgate Correctional Facility inmates who were frustrated at the fact their anticipated transfer to the Farm Facility in St. George?s, where they would have the opportunity to participate in work release programmes, was not proceeding as rapidly as they had hoped.

?The relatively slow transfer process is explained by the increased due diligence that corrections authorities are pursuing to ensure the most suitable inmates are transferred.?The Minister said the transfer process has now improved significantly.

?The high occupancy levels at Westgate, particularly in the area designated for remands, were also a contributing factor to last year?s increase in inmate on inmate violence over 2002. ?Efforts are being made to increase inmates? unlock time for recreational and other activities, an increase that is sure to lead to a reduction in the number of inmate on inmate assaults.

?I am hopeful the successes of the Alternative to Incarceration initiative will lead to the desired reduction in inmate numbers overall.

?I am also hopeful that inmate on inmate assaults will decrease significantly next year as the Department of Corrections offers more and more rehabilitative opportunities, including educational programmes, drug treatment, relapse treatment prevention programmes and habitual and violent offender programmes, among others.

?The recidivism rate saw a decrease in 2003 due mainly to programme successes and a variety of community support programmes.?

Budget figures also revealed the cost of incarceration for the average inmate per year had risen from $48,000 to $55,000.

Mr. Horton said this was mainly due to increased funding allocation in the area of rehabilitation programmes to which Government was committed.