Not enough assistance is being provided to rehabilitate inmates, according to the Parole Board.

Members say more substance abuse and sexual offenders programmes are needed, as well as greater efforts in finding prisoners employment and accommodation.

The concerns are detailed in The Parole Board Annual Report 2008.

It states: "One of the main challenges remains the need for more programmes within the Correctional Facilities, particularly in the areas of substance abuse and sexual offending, available to inmates.

"Another area of concern is the fact that there is limited assistance for inmates [unless they have been transferred to the Farm or the Transitional Living Centre] in finding employment or accommodation.

"In some instances, inmates reported being denied telephone access in order to make employment arrangements."

The report adds: "It is of great concern that not enough scrutiny is given to the alleged employment [in terms of speaking with the actual employer and visiting the job site] or to accommodation [again, in terms of home site visits].

"Thus, we have found, in this economic downturn, parolees unemployed as soon as one week after receiving parole.

"Lack of attention to these details, which provide for a steady income and a roof over one's head, are sometimes enough to jeopardise successful parole."

To qualify for parole, an inmate must have served a third of their sentence.

As of December, there were 87 parolees under supervision.

The Parole Board is an independent body which assesses the risk inmates pose to the community and themselves.

It consists of five members and is chaired by Dame Jennifer Smith.

The board only releases those inmates deemed ready for community supervision.

Its decisions are based on past history, treatment needs, community and family support, risk of re-offending, and reports from the Department of Corrections and Department of Court Services.

As a condition of parole, inmates must maintain regular employment for three months and be tested for controlled substances or intoxicants.

The board's report says there were 30 breaches of parole last year, with eight inmates breaching more than once.

It identifies clear problems in terms of drugs being available in prison.

It states: "Our options, with regard to drug-addicted parolees who breach their conditions of parole, are limited to sending them to a facility where [by all accounts] drugs are available."

The board, in its report, says there should be an "amalgamation of effort" between the Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing, and the Treatment of Offenders Board, in terms of finding parolees employment and accommodation.

It also wants to see parole officers come under the remit of the Parole Board.

Currently supervision of parole comes under the Department of Court Services, in the Ministry of Culture and Social Rehabilitation.

The board said this can create "clear conflicts of interest", in that officers can end up overseeing the same parolee under two separate conditions parole and probation, leading to "misunderstandings and other complications".

The report states: "The board would like to explore the viability of parole officers who are responsible to the Parole Board, just as probation officers are responsible to the courts. Currently, parole officers are not answerable to the board."

Other problems the board faces include a lack of information in medical reports, with details limited to a tick by the words 'fit' or 'unfit' for work.

It says nevertheless, "employment is a mandatory condition of parole".

The board however, was "most impressed" that 80 inmates obtained their General Education Diploma (GED) last year.

The report has been submitted to Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing, Senator David Burch.

The Royal Gazette asked the Minister whether he agreed with the findings, and whether any measures to resolve the issues are forthcoming.

A Government spokeswoman said last night: "The Minister will table the report in the Senate tomorrow, at which time he will provide comment."