RECENT prison statistics have revealed worrying trends across Fiji’s inmate population, showing a rise in serious crimes committed by both the elderly and the youth.
Data shared by Superintendent Isireli Dausiga, the director of Rehabilitation at the Fiji Corrections Service showed that offenders aged 51 to 85 have been convicted of serious offences, including rape, sexual assault, money laundering, and murder.
This shows a shift from traditional patterns where older age groups were hardly linked to violent crime.
Younger offenders are mostly involved in “grab-and-run” and drug use.
Mr Dausiga described the findings as a “wake-up call” for families, warning that prison has become one of the “exit points” for school leavers who lack parental and moral guidance.
Out of 1654 prisoners, 1212 (72 per cent) are iTaukei, while 377 (22 per cent) are Indo-Fijians.
Smaller communities, including the Rotumans and Banabans, have now recorded inmates for the first time in 30 years.
The youth prison population stands at 739, a number he says shows concerning social issues.
Religion remains another critical factor. Of the 1654 inmates, 1370 (83 per cent) identify as Christian, 201 (12 per cent) as Hindu, and 78 (5 per cent) as Muslim.
Mr Dausiga described this as a challenge to the Christian community, saying that faith must translate into moral conduct.
“The best school is at home, and the best congregation as far as Christianity is concerned is at home.”
Adding to the complexity, 14 inmates suffer from mental issues, and 129 prisoners are aged 61 to 85.
Many face health issues, including dementia, forcing prisons to also act as care facilities.
