Releasing non-violent criminals from prison to alleviate the growing number of inmates and detainees inside the Department of Corrections prison.

“Once you book and confine that creates a situation – we don’t want to put an individual who is just there for a retail theft mixed in with others there for armed robbery and more violent offense. That creates a dangerous situation,” said DEPCOR Director Fred Bordallo. 

Bordallo said his proposed Pretrial Inmate Reduction Program could just be the answer to years of overcrowding.

“I’ve met with the chief justice and coordinated with the governor in terms of this proposal in discussing the situation at the Department of Corrections with the overcrowding of the largest population here – the pretrial detainees 106,” added Bordallo. 

The prison population is slowly inching its way to 1,00o and has already hit a record high since Bordallo took on the role as director.

He admits the amount of detainees just isn’t letting up.

“The current research has shown in comparison to other jurisdictions, Guam has the highest pretrial detention rate in the world. This was according to the International Center of Prison studies and this isn’t the first time that DOC has faced a high number of pretrial detainees incarcerated more than the ones that have been adjudicated and sentenced and need to go through rehabilitation programs,” added Bordallo. 

It’s why he’s resorting to other methods to still keep watch of the detainees even if they are allowed to be out in the community.

“What they would do as part of the strategy is community supervision and other ways to look at alternative sentences and ways to those who would commit a crime and it would be negotiated with the Public Defender’s Office, the Attorney General at the courts,” he said. 

Bordallo is inviting Attorney General Doug Moylan to tour the facilities, as the AG’s office is reviewing his proposal.

But Moylan also told KUAM Bordallo is, “opening a Pandora’s Box.” 

Stating, “Our client who is the People of Guam and our crime victims will strongly object if any attempt is made in our cases.”

Bordallo contends the problem at the prison is only getting worse.

“It is really an urgent situation. With the overcrowding situation tensions can get high and part of the side effect is when we are having a string of violent incidents taking place. Some of that happened within the last four days…and at Post 8 where the women are at and an incident at the domes and at Hagatna Detention. It’s mainly strictly taking place with pretrial inmates,” said Bordallo. 

“There have been individuals and recently one of my officers have been injured over these four days as a result of the violence that has taken place among the Post 8 and pretrial detention. I want to reemphasize this is a dangerous place, our personnel are looking bright. We have 11 recruits graduating in January…But we also have continuing recruitment efforts for both full time and I’ve been putting on my social media to get people to come and work at DOC. We are also going to work with the parole division…they are another asset to work with the courts and these individuals on probation too,” Bordallo added. 

He hopes senators in their final session approve funding that will help to improve security at the facility.

The prison director plans to meet with the Chief of Guam police as well about his proposal.