Dh260m Al Aweer prison can house 6,000 inmates

Top prison officials told Khaleej Times that the process of transferring women convicts to the new jail had already begun.

"The official work began last Saturday but communications facilities and phones are not functional yet and visits are not allowed, but we expect to get them on normal course soon," a woman official explained.

The work on the new building, which can accommodate 6,000 prisoners, started in 2003 and was completed towards the end of 2005. The project has entailed a total cost of Dh260 million.

The building provides for separate quarters for men and women and a third prison for violators of the Dubai Department of Residency and Naturalisation, in addition to other sections for juveniles of both sexes. The men's prison comprises two storeys, which includes prisoners cells.

The building includes a sports complex, playgrounds, kitchen, offices, clinic and classrooms, which will imbue the basics of information technology among the prisoners. The entrance to the main building features a reception area offering various services to visitors. Another hall is designated to display products fashioned by the prisoners for sale to the public.

Another official explained that the department had made the maximum use of modern technology for control of doors and cut down on the number of guards in order to avoid direct contact between prisoners and guards as far as possible.

The complex will have corridors and underground tunnels to shift out accused in criminal cases, while the rest of the criminals will be transported by automated buses which can be controlled by the operations room. The complex will be under surveillance by 94 cameras monitoring each and every movement inside the cells and near the outer periphery.

Earlier, Brigadier Jamal Mohamed Al Mari, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, called upon the officials of Dubai Department of Punitive and Corrective Establishment to prepare a comprehensive programme to enable the women prisoners to communicate with their families through Internet or by facilitating arrival of their families from abroad.

Al Mari observed that some of the women prisoners who displayed special talent would be encouraged to enhance their skills and called on the PCE to market their creations, especially handicraft items.