PRESS RELEASE | Oct. 11, 2010
Afghans, partners meet at Corrections Day Conference
By Sr. Airman William O’Brien , Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435

KABUL, Afghanistan (Oct. 11, 2010) — Afghan judicial sector, multiple international and U.S. officials met to discuss the state of Afghan Corrections during the Corrections Day Conference at Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435 headquarters on Camp Phoenix Oct. 11.

Nearly 50 leaders assembled for Corrections Day to recommend ideas for improving provincial prisons, discuss the current status of Afghan corrections facilities, plus identify and prioritize the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s corrections challenges and requirements.

“The prisons are a very hot issue in Afghanistan,” said Afghan National Army Lt. Gen. Amir Mohammad Jamsheed, director of the Central Prison Directorate. “It’s a good beginning to know the needs and the requirements of Afghanistan.”

The corrections conference provided attendees opportunities to gain additional information about the Afghan government’s corrections challenges while strengthening planning and communication efforts to establish and align correction operations throughout Afghanistan. The overall strategy is to conduct corrections operations in a manner consistent with the overarching goal of defeating the extremist insurgency and promoting rule of law. Programs and policies related to the strategy are monitored for integrity, improvement and sustainability.

U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward, CJIATF-435 commander, welcomed conference participants and explained the newly implemented Interagency Planning and Implementation Team. He noted what the IPIT members do and how the team relates to the way ahead for Afghanistan.

“The IPIT was recently established to plan, coordinate resources, and synchronize Rule of Law efforts with our Afghan partners,” said Harward.

Bruce Turner, U.S. embassy in Afghanistan International Narcotics and Law Enforcement director, spoke about the police, investigator, prosecutor and judge training provided by INL and the relationship between the work done by his organization and Jamsheed’s directorate.

“We’ve worked very closely with General Jamsheed and his directorates for going on five years now,” Turner said. “Our focus has traditionally been on the rule of law aspects of corrections, which has primarily revolved around building up the capacity of the Afghan prison system and helping to construct prisons, as well as helping to train their guards.”

The conference brought the imperative contributors together to provide a shared understanding of the IPIT’s role in corrections, provincial justice center strategies, available resources and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s priorities and corrections challenges, said U.S. Navy Captain Thomas Savidge, IPIT Military Team leader.