Belize Central Prison

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Belize Central Prison is Belize’s only prison. It is in Hattieville, about 17 miles from Belize City. Since 2002 it has been managed by the Kolbe Foundation, a nonprofit organization. The prison used to be called Hattieville Prison and is sometimes known locally as the Hattieville Ramada. It replaced an earlier century-old prison that closed and later became the Belize Museum.

The facility houses men and women, and includes adults and adjudicated youths. In August 2008 it held about 1,371 inmates. By June 2017 the population was about 1,297, with 30.1% of inmates being pre-trial detainees.

Belize’s overall incarceration rate is around 356 per 100,000 people. The rate for females rose from 8.4 to 12.6 per 100,000 between 2000 and 2017.

In 2013, researchers from the University of Indianapolis began recording oral histories of staff and female inmates to document the shift in management from the state to the Kolbe Foundation. They have conducted interviews with 36 staff members and 24 female inmates. Early findings suggest improved conditions and a greater focus on rehabilitation. The research notes a willingness to hire former offenders and even former inmates, and that staff and inmates report less social distance, which supports the rehabilitation approach.

The prison sits on a 225-acre site at Mile 2 Burrell Boom Road. The main prison area uses about 50 acres and is surrounded by a 1-mile fence. The Western Highway is about 2 miles away, but there is no public transportation to the prison. Taxi drivers will take people to the prison for a fee, and some people walk the two miles to the gate and find it enjoyable. The prison is 6 miles from Burrell Boom and 17 miles from Belize City.