Law enforcement in Cuba
Encyclopedia
Law enforcement in Cuba is the responsibility of the National Revolutionary Police Force under the administration of the Cuba
n Ministry of the Interior. Article 64 of the Cuban Constitution
states that "Defense of the socialist
motherland is every Cuban's greatest honor and highest duty." Conscription into either the armed forces or the national police force is compulsory for those over the age of 16. Nevertheless, conscripts have no choice to which service they are assigned.
Crime rates in Cuba remain significantly lower than many other major cities worldwide, with Cuban police acting strongly against any crime, particularly in Havana
. Fidel Castro
commented in 1998 that "The war against crime is also a war against the imperialist
enemy." Information on murder
and rape
crime statistics
for the country have never been released by the government, however theft was estimated to be 6,531 cases in 1988, or 62
per 100,000 population. The Cuban penal system contained 19,000 inmates in 1990, approximately 190 per 100,000.
. The Ministry of the Interior is divided into three divisions: Security, Technical Operations, and Internal Order and Crime Prevention. The latter is further divided into corrections, fire protection, and policing. The PNR reports to this subdirectorate, and is responsible for uniform policing, criminal investigation, crime prevention
, juvenile delinquency
, and traffic control
. The PNR conducts these activities across the 14 provinces of Cuba
, each of which has its own police chief
who reports to a central PNR command in Havana.
While the Internal Order and Crime Prevention controls the PNR, which is responsible for day-to-day policing, the Security division of the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for crimes such as espionage
, sabotage
,
and offenses against state security. All these divisions of the Ministry of the Interior and the PNR have been closely associated with the Revolutionary Armed Forces since 1959.
In addition, the PNR is supported by the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), a police intelligence
auxiliary police
organization using la guardia, a nightly neighborhood watch
. The CDR also handle issues relating to water
and energy conservation
, pet inoculation
, and public health
.
s, particularly in the major cities, but also patrol on foot. They utilize radio communications, as well as a developmental computer dispatching system. PNR officers are armed with a semi-automatic handgun and a baton, and they "may use necessary force to apprehend suspects and to defend their person or that of any other citizen" with warrant
requirements common in nations such as the United States
and the United Kingdom
is a serious requirement under Cuban law
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n Ministry of the Interior. Article 64 of the Cuban Constitution
Constitution of Cuba
Since attaining its independence from Spain, Cuba has had five constitutions. The current constitution was drafted in 1976 and has since been amended.-1901 Constitution:The 1901 Constitution was Cuba's first as an independent state...
states that "Defense of the socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
motherland is every Cuban's greatest honor and highest duty." Conscription into either the armed forces or the national police force is compulsory for those over the age of 16. Nevertheless, conscripts have no choice to which service they are assigned.
Crime rates in Cuba remain significantly lower than many other major cities worldwide, with Cuban police acting strongly against any crime, particularly in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
. Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
commented in 1998 that "The war against crime is also a war against the imperialist
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
enemy." Information on murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
and rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
crime statistics
Crime statistics
Crime statistics attempt to provide statistical measures of the crime in societies. Given that crime is usually secretive by nature, measurements of it are likely to be inaccurate....
for the country have never been released by the government, however theft was estimated to be 6,531 cases in 1988, or 62
per 100,000 population. The Cuban penal system contained 19,000 inmates in 1990, approximately 190 per 100,000.
Administration of the PNR
As with many countries, the PNR is under the control of the Ministry of the Interior, which in turn reports to the Council of StateCouncil of State of Cuba
The Council of State of Cuba is a 31-member body of the government of Cuba, elected by the National Assembly of People’s Power. It has the authority to exercise most legislative power between sessions of the National Assembly of People’s Power, subject to its approval, and to call the National...
. The Ministry of the Interior is divided into three divisions: Security, Technical Operations, and Internal Order and Crime Prevention. The latter is further divided into corrections, fire protection, and policing. The PNR reports to this subdirectorate, and is responsible for uniform policing, criminal investigation, crime prevention
Crime prevention
Crime prevention is the attempt to reduce victimization and to deter crime and criminals. It is applied specifically to efforts made by governments to reduce crime, enforce the law, and maintain criminal justice.-Studies:...
, juvenile delinquency
Juvenile delinquency
Juvenile delinquency is participation in illegal behavior by minors who fall under a statutory age limit. Most legal systems prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as juvenile detention centers. There are a multitude of different theories on the causes of crime, most if not...
, and traffic control
Traffic control
Road traffic control involves directing vehicular and pedestrian traffic around a construction zone, accident or other road disruption, thus ensuring the safety of emergency response teams, construction workers and the general public....
. The PNR conducts these activities across the 14 provinces of Cuba
Provinces of Cuba
Administratively, Cuba is divided into 15 provinces and one special municipality not included in any province. The last modification was approved in August 2010 , splitting Havana province into two new provinces: Artemisa and Mayabeque...
, each of which has its own police chief
Chief of police
A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
who reports to a central PNR command in Havana.
While the Internal Order and Crime Prevention controls the PNR, which is responsible for day-to-day policing, the Security division of the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for crimes such as espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
, sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
,
and offenses against state security. All these divisions of the Ministry of the Interior and the PNR have been closely associated with the Revolutionary Armed Forces since 1959.
In addition, the PNR is supported by the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), a police intelligence
Police Intelligence
Police intelligence refers to an element of the British police. Staffed by police officers and support staff, its purpose is to track and predict crime with a view to curbing it...
auxiliary police
Auxiliary police
Auxiliary police or special constables in England) are usually the part-time reserves of a regular police force. They may be armed or unarmed. They may be unpaid volunteers or paid members of the police service with which they are affiliated...
organization using la guardia, a nightly neighborhood watch
Neighborhood watch
A neighborhood watch or neighbourhood watch , also called a crime watch or neighborhood crime watch, is an organized group of citizens devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood...
. The CDR also handle issues relating to water
Water conservation
Water conservation refers to reducing the usage of water and recycling of waste water for different purposes such as cleaning, manufacturing, and agricultural irrigation.- Water conservation :Water conservation can be defined as:...
and energy conservation
Energy conservation
Energy conservation refers to efforts made to reduce energy consumption. Energy conservation can be achieved through increased efficient energy use, in conjunction with decreased energy consumption and/or reduced consumption from conventional energy sources...
, pet inoculation
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
, and public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
.
Equipment
The PNR have a wide range of police carPolice car
A police car is a ground vehicle used by police, to assist with their duties in patrolling and responding to incidents. Typical uses of a police car include transportation for officers to reach the scene of an incident quickly, to transport criminal suspects, or to patrol an area, while providing a...
s, particularly in the major cities, but also patrol on foot. They utilize radio communications, as well as a developmental computer dispatching system. PNR officers are armed with a semi-automatic handgun and a baton, and they "may use necessary force to apprehend suspects and to defend their person or that of any other citizen" with warrant
Warrant (law)
Most often, the term warrant refers to a specific type of authorization; a writ issued by a competent officer, usually a judge or magistrate, which permits an otherwise illegal act that would violate individual rights and affords the person executing the writ protection from damages if the act is...
requirements common in nations such as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
is a serious requirement under Cuban law
Cuban Law
The substantive and procedural laws of Cuba were later based on the Spanish Civil laws and were influenced by the principles of Marxism-Leninism after that philosophy became the guiding force of government.- Principle of equality :...
.