New prison training targets stress, leadership and rehabilitation practices

The Guyana Prison Service has introduced a series of strategic leadership and mental health training programmes for correctional officers, in partnership with the University of Guyana’s Institute for Human Resiliency, Strategic Security and The Future (HRSSF), as part of efforts to modernise the country’s correctional system.

The initiative was outlined at a prison officers’ conference on Tuesday, where University of Guyana lecturer Dr. Melissa Ifill said the university has developed tailored courses to address the specific training needs of prison personnel.

The programmes were designed following research into the prison environment, which highlighted the stressful and often traumatic nature of the job, including long hours, challenging conditions and limited compensation.

Among the offerings are courses in mental, neurological and substance abuse, aimed at equipping officers to respond effectively to inmates in distress, as well as training in communication and administration to strengthen leadership and operational capacity.

Additional areas include social and cultural sensitivity, juvenile corrections and rehabilitation, and correctional law, with accreditation available from certificate to postgraduate levels.

“The idea is to be comprehensive in terms of training needs of the force,” Ifill said, adding that the courses are intended to support both professional and personal development among officers.

Deputy Director of HRSSF Dr. Mishel Moriah said the collaboration aligns with the institute’s focus on building resilient systems, ethical leadership and effective security frameworks.

Deputy Director of Prisons Kevin Pilgrim said the initiative is expected to strengthen correctional services locally and position Guyana to share best practices across the region.