The Department of Prisons has revealed that prisons across the country are currently accommodating three times their intended capacity, with 29,416 inmates being held in facilities designed for 10,500.
Prisons Commissioner Gamini B. Dissanayake cited drug addiction as a leading factor contributing to the overcrowding. Measures are underway to alleviate congestion, including plans for new constructions. Despite efforts, 49 prisoners have escaped in the past three months, with two recaptured.