Bayu Marhaenjati – After two jailbreaks within a week left convicted terrorists and career criminals on the run from over-crowded Medan and Batam jails, the Jakarta government has responded to security concerns by revealing that the capital's detention centers are at least 150 percent overcapacity and face an acute shortage of wardens.

"Currently we are facing serious overcapacity in our prisons, generally by about 150 to 300 percent," the head of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights' regional head, Irsyad Bustaman, said on Thursday. "Ideally, the number of inmates would fall within our capacity."

"Though we have added more wardens and officers each year, the prisons in Salemba and Cipinang are still in need of more," he added.

According to the most recent data, Salemba remand prison was designed for 880 prisoners, but houses 3,472 inmates, while Salemba's jail for convicted criminals has a capacity of 572, but currently holds 1,890 prisoners.

To deal with this situation, Irsyad has announced plans to build new cells in the prisons. Irsyad did not, however, concede that over-capacity prisons were a security threat.

"What is clear is simply the fact that the overload negatively impacts the quality of prison facilities," he said, "from the quantity of food to the drinks service."

With the recent prison break in a North Sumatra and a shortage of wardens and officers in the capital's detention faciliies, Jakarta police plan to preempt any putative prison disturbances by building station houses (Pos Polisi) near prisons to enable a more rapid response.

"We have started construction of station houses in prisons in East Jakarta. The stations are built in front of the prisons to ease communication" Chief of Jakarta Police Insp. Gen. Putut Eko Bayuseno said on Thursday. "So far, the police have done a good job in coordinating with the prisons when signs of a riot start to arise. This partnership between both parties has been going on for a long time."

Adds Irsyad, "From the beginning both parties have worked together well, and today we are simply sharpening and enhancing our plans."

In addition, the National Police will also evaluate the need for increased 24-hour police presence stationed near the prison areas.

"There will be 24-hour patrols, but they will not be stationed for 24 hours in a single spot. The policemen have a duty to serve the community in other ways," Police Chief, General Timur Pradopo said on Thursday.

"What we will evaluate is whether or not the police need to be stationed in one place to ensure safety, instead of patrolling and moving around the area – that's what's being evaluated."