Pacific / American Samoa

New jail facility opens in American Samoa

18:53 pm on 3 October 2016

American Samoa has opened a new detention facility at the Territorial Correctional Facility.

The one story concrete structure, which cost more than $US 3 million, can hold 114 inmates.

It has 23 standard cells each holding four inmates, one cell that's compliant with American Disability Act requirements.

American Samoa has expanded its Territorial Correctional Facility Photo: RNZI Monica Miller

10 maximum security cells, a day room, a security station, processing area and visiting rooms.

All the cells are furnished with bunk beds, desks and other detention equipment with a surveillance video system installed both inside and outside of the buildling.

The contractor for the project was B & J Construction and funding was provided by the Department of Interior through the Capital Improvement Projects programme.

Governor Lolo Moliga said the idea of building a new prison came about when he first visited the TCF in 2013, his first year in office and saw how overcrowded it was.