Prisons housing three times the intended capacity

COLOMBO (News1st); Prisons are currently housing three times their intended capacity, according to the Department of Prisons.

Media Spokesperson and Prisons Commissioner Gamini B. Dissanayake said although the number of inmates who can be accommodated in the country's prisons is 10,500, there are currently 29,416 in prisons.

The Prisons Spokesperson said a majority of them are drug addicts.

He said necessary measures were taken to reduce the congestion at remand prisons adding that plans are being drawn to construct new buildings as well.

Dissanayake further said 49 prisoners have escaped from prisons over the past three months, and two of them have been arrested again.