Prisons police chief warns tent jails ‘don’t meet minimum security conditions’

In the DPP-467-2024 document sent to Juan Carlos AriasChing, general manager of the Social Adaptation Department, made it clear that prisons with roofs and walls made of canvas or other similar materials would increase Avoid risk Possibility of prisoners Building a Hideout And can produce Clashes between prisoners.

Furthermore, he noted that “the material of the tents can be easily damaged.” He then warned that the product they are made of is highly unstable: “If an accident occurs, this Could cause disaster for the evacuation and care of people from these spaces. ” He announced the need to verify that the model meets the standards of the fire department.

The subject of the document is: “Justification for prisoners to spend the night in tents or masonry buildings (concrete blocks)”, the Commissioner added that living in tents can lead to precarious living conditions, violating the fundamental rights of persons deprived of their human freedoms, whether due to electricity services, drinking water or the effects of high or low temperatures.

The head of prison security concluded that masonry or concrete block buildings are clearly “in better condition than tents”. In his report, he said it is essential to adequately plan prison infrastructure “to guarantee security, respect for human rights and effectiveness of social integration programs”. In this sense, he said it is important to assess whether these temporary structures accurately comply with international human rights standards and to draw attention to the possibilities they may present. Protecting Resources The Constitutional Court or Filing a claim with a judge the execution of the judgment.

The former deputy minister was also questioned

Nils Ching’s observations came a week later. Xlaine Sanchez TorresIn a report published hours after he was fired on July 11, the former deputy justice and peace minister announced that the government was analyzing the creation of a prison with tents to address prison overcrowding. Sánchez told Minister Gerald Campos that the idea was “idea”.

He claimed that the tents were for temporary use because they would deteriorate over time and “it is common for prison infrastructure to suffer damage caused by people deprived of their liberty.” He added that “there is no way to repair them (the tents), so this would mean a change in the entire structure, which would require greater expenditure, Impact on my country’s TreasuryHe suggested waiting to invest in durable buildings that would actually address the problem of prison overpopulation.

So far, the Ministry of Justice has not updated the number of prisoners in the country. The latest data is from March 31, 2022, when the number of detainees was 14,595 and the installed capacity was 13,791. The minister only gave information that the overpopulation rate is 118.75%.

Gerald Campos insisted that building a prison would take at least two years and would mean an investment of £47m per prisoner, compared to less than £5m if tents were rented. Spanish companies that made proposals Tents are used as prisons in the Costa Rican prison system. Sanchez said that in early July, he traveled to Spain to learn about the prison system.

‘Increased anxiety and depression’

nation Entering Nils Ching’s office, he explained to the director of the Social Adaptation Department that tents do not provide “the same level of security containment as solid structures, by far, which increases the risk of escapes, ‘galetas’ (illegal hiding places)” and clashes between persons deprived of their liberty. These spaces do not qualify as containment if the persons deprived of their liberty who spend the night there do not obey orders.

But he also expressed concern that these lightweight structures could have a negative impact on the mental health of administrators, police officers and inmates.“This type of setting can exacerbate issues like anxiety and depression.””, he cited the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules).

The document also mentions the sensitivity of these structures to sudden changes in climate that are unique to Costa Rica, which could compromise the safety and well-being of prisoners. Another key point Ching noted is the need to determine the profile of the population that will live in these tents. “The analysis must be rigorous, as only very low-profile prisoners should be considered due to their high vulnerability,” he said.

Cheng said a comprehensive analysis of the number of prison staff needed for these tent projects was needed, stressing the lack of accurate information to make an objective assessment. “Based on the available information, it is not possible to determine how many police officers are needed to provide detention and surveillance support,” he said.

Exactly, Exleine Sánchez told nation When they presented him with the technical details of the tents that were to be used, he concluded that they resembled those used in military barracks or human tragedies. In addition, he found similarities with a prison in Arizona, USA, which operated for 24 years and closed in 2017 because the maintenance costs were very expensive: $8.5 million per year.

‘All the prisons are full’

This Wednesday, during President Rodrigo Chavez’s weekly meeting, the director of the Social Adaptation Department, Juan Carlos Arias, said in a video that “all prisons are full”. He also did not give a figure. However, he said that they are looking for solutions to the problem and assured that they will do so “Responsibly” without explicitly citing the tent program.

Gerald Campos assured that the government is working to “build a new prison system, but this will take at least two years.” He claimed that they have working teams to responsibly solve the problem of overcrowding without releasing “swallows” as in the past.

“We’re always looking at practical, innovative solutions that allow us to keep these people who are endangering society in the system, but also to provide opportunities for those who are in the process of insertion so that we can train them and get them jobs. What jobs? Because recidivism rates are rising to 38 percent. People who leave the prison system and go out and commit crimes, what do they tell us? “We don’t have a chance, so we’re working on it.”

Then he added,The support of the Chief Constable of Prisons (Nils Ching) on ​​the bench is clear Mr. President, we are not inventing this,” he said, referring to Rodrigo Chavez, who was standing beside him. Although Mr. Cheng was present at the meeting, he did not make a statement.

been: Spanish group proposes prison tent idea at attorney general’s office