CRUMLIN Road Jails in Belfast which closed last March, is being maintained as a back up prison in the event of a further deterioration of the security situation the Northern Ireland Prison Service has confirmed.
It will remain a "stand by prison" while two new detention blocks are being completed at Maghaberry Prison, near Lisburn, Co Antrim.
The Prison Service, in its annual report, disclosed that in 1995/96, the number of inmates in the North's prisons fell by 9 per cent from 1,870 to 1,703. The cost of maintaining each prisoner in jail was £71.762 three times the cost of prisoners in detention in Britain. Last year, it cost £143.1 million to run the North's prisons.
Sir John Wheeler, the North's Security Minister, said yesterday that reducing costs was a major priority for the service. He complained about the high level of staff absenteeism, which had increased over a 12 month period from 17 days absent per officer per year to 23 days.
"There were no escapes involving high or top risk category prisoners, and only two involving lower category prisoners according to the report.