Belize Central Prison History

The first Prison was built in the early 1900's at Gabourel and Goal Lane in Belize City and had a capacity for approximately 300 prisoners. The prison has been relocated; the Central Bank Building now sits at that site and the old Prison building has been renovated as a Museum.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the prison population started to grow rapidly and the Goal Lane Prison was soon housing over 800 prisoners. The location of the Prison also became a security concern and the location itself had become prime real estate (the U.S. Embassy is next door). The Prison building also required major upgrading and restoration.

A new prison was begun at Mile 2 on the Burrell Boom Road, 17 miles from Belize City. The Hattieville Prison was expected to alleviate the problems of overcrowding and location. Hopes were high that the Hattieville Prison would provide rehabilitation while reducing operating costs as prisoners could farm the surrounding land. The design was good and the objectives, commendable. However, financial resources were not available for professional completion of the facility. Prisoners themselves built the prison. Corners were cut everywhere possible so the job could be completed. Housing the prisoners was the highest priority. Concerns for security, structural strength and integrity of the building, sanitation, and welfare and safety of the prisoners had to be deferred as funding was not available to complete the prison as designed.

In 1993 the prisoners were relocated to Hattieville although completion of the prison was at a minimum acceptable level. Buildings and cells were incomplete. There were no sewerage facilities, no potable water. 300 beds held 900 prisoners. Cells designed to hold two men had to house up to a dozen. When it rained, cells flooded. Many inmates slept without bedding on the wet floors. No kitchen or mess hall was available. Arrangements had not been made for proper disposal of garbage. There was no in-house hospital or clinic. No thought had been given to administrative offices or facilities for a Superintendent. These were only the most glaring of the problems that plagued the facility from day one. Some remain major problems ten years later.