Concerns have been raised over prison overcrowding and its detrimental effects.

The focus is on the lack of control over inmate numbers by the Fiji Corrections Service.

Speaking on the Fiji Corrections Service 2018-2020 Annual Reports, Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua also called on the need for smarter approaches to managing convicted individuals.

He says this includes exploring restorative justice and Yellow Ribbon initiatives for humane rehabilitation outside of incarceration.

Attention has been drawn to the inadequacy of correctional facilities in catering to the needs of physically disabled, mentally challenged and elderly inmates who often share space with the general prison population.

Tikoduadua states that the issue extends to the co-location of institutions like Suva Prison and St. Giles Hospital, prompting calls for more policies to support corrections officers and inmates.