The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – Last Tuesday President Laura Chinchilla stated that the government is working on an action plan to relocate inmates in prisons, for several sectors claimed to be in a state of emergency.
“The Minister of Justice is working on an action plan that will be announced soon,” told Chinchilla to the reporters regarding the issue of prisons.
The president welcomed the interest shown by various sectors in the subject, but pointed out that “it is important not to seek a declaration of emergency without good reason for doing so”, and assured that it is necessary to wait for the plan that is being developed by the Minister of Justice and Peace, Anna Isabel Garita.
Opposition deputies, trade unions and judicial officials asked the government to declare a national emergency due to overpopulation of inmates in the prisons of the country.
These sectors sent Chinchilla a letter in which they also requested an audit from the Social Adaptation Division, entity in charge of the country’s prison system, which is currently home to 13,864 inmates, although its capacity is for 10,046 inmates.
Guardswoman Ofelia Taitelbaum has called the country’s prisons “human storehouses”, since although the overcrowding average is estimated in 38%, some centers have recorded an overpopulation of up to 78%.
Also, there are complaints about the poor working conditions in which 3,125 police officers and 1,919 employees perform their duties.
In recent months Costa Rica has discussed the need for alternative measures such as the use of electronic bracelets, which are devices that allow to monitor the location of an inmate under probation. EFE
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose, Costa Rica
