"Prison has become a warehouse for the recycling of criminals.'' If anyone was in any doubt about the crisis in Bermuda's bulging jails, a few minutes in the company of Russ Ford, spokesman for the Prison Officers Association, will quickly dispel doubts.

Mr. Ford tells it like it is and it is grim.

He is exasperated by a system in which the vast majority of inmates have drugs problems, but drugs are an ever present temptation inside the jail.

"You are sending people out of jail the same or worse as when they came in,'' he said.

And prison's revolving door shows no sign of slowing, added Mr. Ford.

"Last month we had around 56 people come in - 80 percent had been in prison before.'' And Mr. Ford is equally blunt about the solution.

"Recidivism is extremely high because prison offers no deterrent to criminals. The life in prison is too comfortable.

"We send people to prison too easily so therefore they are desensitised.

"There is a mentality among many young people that prison is like a rite of passage -- if you haven't been to jail you are not a man.

"That sort of cavalier attitude makes you immune to the discomfort that prison should provide.

"We shouldn't have people feeling that prison is their home from home.

"Prisoners should be put to work so that they are made to be productive.' Instead, he said, hard-pressed officers were simply there to keep the inmates in hand, fearing that tempers would flare as the temperatures rise.

"Currently, if they are not involved in programmes, they are at play, recreation.

"That's the most we can offer them, particularly in the summer months.

"Just to keep them cool -- at a level they will feel they are not frustrated, because physical activity helps reduce that.

"I think they should work, not only tidy up and maintain the prison, but they should also work in community service -- on rest homes and the Railway Trail, and also to their victims by working to pay them back, rather than simply send them to prison so they think they've paid their debt to society.

"Because what happens is they never get an opportunity to face up to the responsibilities caused by their actions.

"A number of young black males come rather than pay the fines because it's not a big deal. It's a joke.'' But he said the blase newcomers forget the risk of violence inherent in prison.

"They will be locked down for long periods of time. They might not get any help for whatever problem they came in with.

"Many inmates are not entitled to a case programme because they are there for short term -- unless you are there nine months, you can't get on a programme.

"People come in for civil debts, non-payment of debts, child support, traffic fines and they're in a maximum security prison where inmates are murderers or rapists and people like that.

"It's totally unacceptable, it's inappropriate.'' Short-termers cost around $100 a day in prison, said Mr. Ford.

"You might have someone jailed for a $250 fine. but it will cost $2,500 to pay for a 25 day prison term. It doesn't make sense to me.

"We are not doing anything to assist people in prison, many come back.

"Prison should be used as a last resort. When they come back after the first time they are desensitised, when they come back it is not a big deal.'' But instead, prison has become flooded with civil cases causing an overflow which has sparked a threat of industrial action from fed-up prison officers.

"The current family court judge, Mr. (Carlisle) Greaves, has taken it upon himself, and it may be needed, to get money for child support payments.

"It's not his responsibility to manage individuals when they're sent to jail, but he should perhaps be aware of the impact when they're sent to jail and on the staff that work here.

"There is rampant use of drugs because people are looking for an escape.'' And the facts are stark, said Mr. Ford.

"Seven out of ten people have used drugs during the week before coming to jail.

"That is a statistical fact. We know this from histories we take from urine samples.'' " Fine efforts are made on the prison drug programme, but it doesn't address the main issue which is drugs coming into prison.

"The Prison Officers Association have taken a zero tolerance stand toward our members who may be thinking about bringing drugs into prison or who may participate in procuring funds so inmates can buy drugs.

"If they are guilty we will not support future employment in the prison service.

"Not everyone is squeaky clean, we are dealing with human beings who will do things for whatever gains for them.'' However he said it was time the prison authorities had the same conviction in tackling the issue.

"Interdiction and detection is virtually nil. We need a commitment and action, not just from the prison administration, but also the Government to eradicate drugs in prison.

"They need to look at dogs -- we don't have them at the moment -- particularly in the visiting area.

"For every visit that takes place you should have drug sniffer dogs. It serves as a deterrent.

"You should have the necessary equipment, which I understand is on the way, with a ion scanner which helps with detection of drugs.

"You should look at a special team from the outside to come in and do regular searches.

"If you do this enough times, inmates will get the message, but that's not happening.

"The commitment as far as the inmates are concerned is virtually nil, so why not take a chance? "I would say, based upon evidence we have, the potential for use of drugs in prison is very real.

"Prison should be used as a last resort -- that's why this drugs court can't come fast enough.

"We may be pushing civil offenders out to work, but when they go out into the community they are vulnerable to poachers who may want them to bring in drugs to the prison.

"Or they may use substances themselves, but they are not eligible for treatment because they fall into the category of civvies.

"That's why I say prison should not be utilised for that purpose -- sending people to prison for debts.

"They need to find something alternative in the community to make them accountable for their irresponsible behaviour.

"They should be made to work, but if they refuse to work then Mr. Greaves' method should be employed, but not as a first resort.'' The prison department needs more creative ideas to cater to the needs of the population, said Mr. Ford, who added that social programmes needed more staff to make them work properly.

"We want to know how far has the alternative sentencing committee reached.

"We know they are looking at alternative sentencing, which I must commend the Government for because that is going to be the key to stem the tide of people going to prison.

"We have prison officers who would love to work out in the community and participate in supervising people who may be in line for alternative sentencing.

`Things move too slow in this department. That's one of the reasons we have to take progressive and sometimes aggressive action to get the attention we need.'' He said the service was rudderless although he said Minister Paula Cox had made great efforts.

"However she's only one person in the entire chain of events in the criminal justice system.

"They had Cleansweep two years ago. Perhaps they should have a Cleansweep of the prison department.'' No caption Russ Ford