The publisher of the Vanuatu Daily Post newspaper, Marc Neil-Jones, says the Vanuatu government may introduce a new probation scheme that is a first in the Pacific.
The Vanuatu government is preparing a correctional reform bill, which will be in line with the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners adopted by the United Nations in 1955.
Mr Neil-Jones says it will include a new probation scheme supervised by village chiefs and elders.
"The chiefs with village elders, if they can set up this probation scheme effectively, I think it would be a very good and positive way of controlling these inmates or potential inmates. Instead of serving their jail time, they go on probabtion."
Mr Neil Jones says village elders and chiefs have a lot of influence, especially in rural areas.
There have been several testimonies over human right abuses in Vanuatu prisons for many years.
