The first written evidence of a penal institution in the Bahamas was recorded in the late 1600’s, when plans for the city of Nassau was passed. Prison has been in existence in the Bahamas since the early days of the colony’s development.  There must have been some type of jail in the early days of Charles Town (Former name of the town Nassau).

The next mention of a jail in the records of the town of Nassau was in the late 1700’s when mention was made of a building situated on the eastern sides of Bay and Market Streets.

In 1790, a new prison was constructed. The building  presently houses the Nassau Public Library on Shirley Street, In the vicinity of Bank Lane.  This octagonal shaped structure remained occupied until 1806.

In 1864, an act of Parliament was assented for a new prison to be erected near the town of Nassau because the old one was becoming too small as the population was increasing. The prison was erected on East Street on the Police Baracks compound. It officially opened in January of 1866.

This building still exists today at this location serving as the Royal Bahamas Police Force Headquarters. 

On March, 1952 – the prison was moved away from the limits of the city to a new location in Fox Hill and was named Her Majesty’s Prisons. 

On August 11, 2014, Her Majesty’s Prisons name was changed to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, as a result of the new Correctional Services Act. This undertaking was the beginning of a new era as the Department transitioned from penal to corrections. 

The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services comprises of several housing facilities. All of the housing facilities house male inmates with the exception of Female Correctional Facility.

These Housing Facilities are: 

• Maximum Correctional Facility 
• Medium Correctional Facility
• Minimum Correctional Facility
• Female Correctional Facility 
• Remand Centre Facility 
• Central Intake Facility 
• Annex Housing Facility

Former Superintendents & Commissioners

The great men who paved the way and contributed to the success of the organisation: All Former Superintendents & Commissioners

Bahamas Department of
Correctional Services

Rank Structure 

Maximum Security	Old Female Prison
Former First Offenders/Now Female Correctional Facility	Annex/Extra Mural Scheme