Samoa's prisons are to be removed from the control of police under the Prisons and Corrections Bill that has been tabled in Parliament.
Under the new bill the responsibility for managing prisons and prisoners will be taken over by a new body to be called the Samoa Prisons and Corrections Services.
The new law will also put more emphasis on the rehabilitation of prisoners.
The Minister of Police and Prisons, Sala Fata Pinati, calls it the most comprehensive reform in relation to prisons that has ever been done in Samoa.
The Opposition is expected to back the move, with justice spokesperson, Lefau Harry Schuster, saying it is a good move.