Presentation of the Prison Information Management System to Contribute to the Improvement of Citizen Security in Belize

At the Belize Central Prison, Kolbe Foundation, a ceremony to mark the launch of the Prison Information Management System (PIMS) was held, in the framework of the InfoSegura Regional Project. Prison Information Management System interoperability makes it possible to safely share data with other agencies in the public sector. The system is part of the Integrated Information Management Platform of the Belize Crime Observatory and provides critical evidence for decision-makers and policymakers to improve the delivery of justice.

In his remarks, Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs and New Industries, added that “this modern information management system will go beyond software and computers for data and records management, to integrating modern biometric technology to set up a more secure and reliable prison identification and monitoring mechanism. The PIMS will not just revolutionize the management of the Belize Central Prison; it will also pave the way for pioneering steps in inter-agency sharing of crime and justice sector data in Belize, for multiple agencies across continuum of justice of Belize.”

According to Ian King, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, “the completion of the Prison Information Management System (PIMS) will assist the prison to effectively manage the prison population through improved real-time operational and situational awareness. This will prevent prisoner records from being lost in the system by replacing a cumbersome paper-based system. The PIMS will also allow automatic data sharing with other agencies, such as Belize Police Department, the Judiciary of Belize and the Belize Crime Observatory.”

The InfoSegura Regional Project –the first regional strategic partnership between USAID and UNDP in the region to build capacities in key security and justice institutions–supports the Belize Crime Observatory (BCO) and partner agencies, including the National Forensic Science Service (NFSS), since May 2014, with the goal of enhancing the access to justice through a comprehensive Information and Communication Technology (ICT) framework and the realization of the multi-agency Crime Intelligence Architecture of Belize by May 2024.