The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) launched on Friday, April 8, a 20-year development roadmap designed to improve the administration and care of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and finally address the dire condition in jails worsened by decades-long problem of overcrowded facilities.
Dubbed as Journey for Advancement, Innovation and Long-term Development Plan 2040 (J.A.I.L. Plan 2040), the BJMP said that “the transformation roadmap outlines the journey of the BJMP toward achieving breakthrough results, through a standardized and institutionalized quality jail service.’’
BJMP chief Director Allan Iral emphasized that the bureau “is keen on ensuring the humane safekeeping of persons deprived of liberty (PDL) with more responsive and holistic welfare and development programs.’’
He noted that the roadmap is also focused on developing highly competent, motivated, and disciplined personnel with improved technology infrastructure.
A Center for Jail Excellence and Strategy Management (CJESM) was created by the BJMP to coordinate and integrate the J.A.I.L. Plan 2040 and sustain the execution, management, monitoring, and institutionalization of the agency's scorecard.
The BJMP scorecard is a strategic management performance metric that will aid in improving the Bureau’s internal operations to achieve desired outcomes., iral explained.
Further, the BJMP chief disclosed that it measures the organization’s overall performance and provides feedback on how to make better decisions in the pursuit of a transformed jail management that is responsive to the changing times and dynamic needs of its personnel, stakeholders and most importantly, the PDL.
He added that it also assesses the organizational performance through four different perspectives that work together to achieve performance targets.
“The four perspectives are as follows: Resource Management Perspective, Learning and Growth Perspective, Process Excellence, and Community,’’ Iral said.
In his message, the BJMP chief emphasized the value of strategic direction for the agency and the support of all personnel for its realization.
“Kaya hinihikayat ko ang bawat isa na pagtulungan natin ang J.A.I.L. Plan 2040, mula dito sa taas pababa sa jail units (That is why I am urging everybody to lend a helping hand to lead J.A.I.L. Plan from the top down to the jail units),’’ Iral lamented.
“Let us make this foothold an opportunity to steer people to the one direction we are pursuing”, he added.
Partner and adviser
To support the implementation of the J.A.I.L. Plan 2040, the BJMP National Advisory Council (NAC) was created to serve as institutional partners and advisers of the BJMP.
Part of the BJMP NAC’s task is to provide the needed external perspectives and guidance on key issues and concerns affecting the organization, such as the generation of additional resources through channeled networks.