With the number of unsolved crimes, you'd be surprised by the population of the Belize Central Prison, which is run by the Kolbe Foundation. On this week's Dickie Bradley Special, Kolbe C.E.O. John Woods and the Superintendent of the Prison Taheera Ahmad, appeared as guests. They discussed a number of issues on the handling of crimes and criminals, including the number female inmates and how much it costs to run the prison.

Taheera Ahmad, Superintendent of Prisons

"Our population at this moment is one thousand, three hundred and six-at least up to last night. We have thirty females, approximately sixty-six young men and the rest would be adult male inmates."

Dickie Bradley

"And how many buildings are they housed in?"

Taheera Ahmad

Taheera Ahmad

"We have approximately five to eight different sections inside the prison; that includes the female section, the youth area, the remanded population which is approximately five hundred inmates, five hundred including the youths and females."

Dickie Bradley

"Remanded?"

Taheera Ahmad

"Yeah, they are all remanded. That also includes inmates that are currently on appeal as well because you have approximately fifty inmates that are appellants, they have been convicted and appealed."

Dickie Bradley

"Can you tell our viewers like out of that amount-because some prisoners can't get bail because for some strange unlawful reason in this country, although the constitution provides that you are entitled to bail, we in Belize once you're charged for murder the courts don't want to give bail-about how many people are in prison who are charged for a capital offence awaiting�"

Taheera Ahmad

"I think it's about, I would say approximately one hundred and fifty to two hundred inmates that are currently facing murder charges."

John Woods

Dickie Bradley

"Are you at liberty to share with us approximately how much money it takes to run the prison on an annual basis? Seven million?"

John Woods, Kolbe Foundation

"Seven million yeah-well that was with the numbers when we were up to fourteen hundred and so on."

Dickie Bradley

"But it's still between six and seven. That's a lot of money."

John Woods

"It's closer to six now."

Dickie Bradley

"So a government comes in and it's six and a half million dollars a year, at the end of a five year period you're talking thirty-odd million dollars."

John Woods

"Right."

The prison population also includes about sixty mentally challenged inmates; some who have been convicted of heinous crimes.

Channel 5