Findings from the review of the Community Based Corrections Bill of 2016 has revealed that it cost taxpayers over $20,000 to keep an inmate in prison on average for a year.

While presenting the Bill’s report in Parliament, Chairman for Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights Ashneel Sudhakar says this is why a review of the Bill was undertaken to look into alternative sentences.

Sudhakar says the review will also consider avenues to assist with the rehabilitation of offenders and allow special sentences in appropriate cases.

“ However the bill empowers the court in appropriate cases to hand the offender and alternative sentence such as community work, such as weeding the local cemetery or cleaning the drains which are a way of giving back to the victims of crime, the courts will be empowered to treat cases in its own merit.”

Sudhakar says Fiji is not immune to the impact of overcrowding in prisons however it has a costly impact on taxpayers.