ALGERIAN PRISON SYSTEM Michael Shum

Prison System  The prison system is operated as a separate function of the Ministry of Justice  Lesser crimes are sent to provincial civil prisons  More serious crimes (murder, kidnapping, rape) carry a potential death sentence or serve time in the 3 penitentiaries  Treason, terrorism, and other crimes against the state are also sent to the penitentiaries.

Prison System  Prisoners are segregated according:  seriousness of their crimes  length of their sentences  Inmates of civil prisons can receive visits from their families once a week.  More difficult to visit prisoners held in penitentiaries  Conjugal visits are allowed most of the time

Conditions  Both types of institutions range from primitive to modern  Penitentiaries worse than numerous civil prisons  Prisoners are often crowded together, and sanitary facilities are poor.  Inmates at other prisons are thought to live under better conditions.

Conditions  Medical care is rudimentary in most cases  Local doctors visits each prison regularly to treat sick prisoners  Seriously ill prisoners are sent to local hospitals  The prison diet is described as bland and starchy  Visiting families usually bring food

The Stranger~  Mersault was thrown in a room filled with Arabs, got harsh treatment  Poor living conditions  Mersault’s cell was cramped with small window  Slept on a wooden plank  All but one visit from Marie was blocked  After the visit, Mersault got a letter from Marie  Cannot visit anymore, because she wasn’t his wife  Realized his cell was his "last home," and, as he puts it, "a dead end.“ Changed mindset from “free” to “prisoner”

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