Prison: Problems and challenges for the Americas Lucía Dammert Security and Citizenship Program FLACSO-Chile

Insecurity Rise in crime Increase in use of violence Stiffer criminal laws Public support for punishment Limited use of alternative measures Police arrest and justice is slow Officials ¨prisoners¨

Source: FLACSO-Chile, 2008, ECLAC population database Prison populations in Latin America and the Caribbean

Prison systems Cross-cutting crisis –Overpopulation –Abysmal living conditions –Limited budget for rehabilitation –Rise in prison population at police jails and other facilities –Criminal contagion (shared spaces)

Overpopulation and remand prisoners Source: FLACSO, 2008, with data supplied by respective prison administrations and statistical yearbooks.

Institutions Dependence on diverse agencies not always connected with Justice In many countries the police guard and provide security at prisons Prison system-specific institutions –Limited budget –Weak social protection

Challenges 1.BUDGETS Low levels of investment, budgets large but insufficient Limited social pressure for better conditions Different perceptions of rights Limited health coverage

Source: FLACSO, 2008, with data supplied by respective prison administrations and statistical yearbooks.

Health of inmates Source: Prepared by the author, 2008, with data supplied by respective prison administrations in the countries mentioned. Data current to June 2008, except for Chile where data corresponds to December 2007.

2. NEW ISSUES Increase in the female population Globalization of prison populations Prison violence –Impunity –Violence –Suicide

Female prison population

Foreign prisoners

Prison violence: Deaths and injuries in Venezuela Source: FLACSO, 2008, with data from the Venezuelan Prisons Observatory, 2008.

Comparative perspective Success stories still the exception Need for regional collaboration mechanisms Strengthening of officials (role and coverage) Human Rights are essential not only to protect the prison but also for rehabilitation Recognize the drug abuse crisis