Prisons in Chile
Encyclopedia
Prison conditions in Chile
are generally poor. Prisons often are overcrowded and antiquated, with substandard sanitary conditions.
were at nearly double capacity. The 2006 Diego Portales University School of Law study on prison conditions reiterated that prison services such as health care remained substandard. Prison food
meets minimal nutritional needs, and prisoners can supplement their diets by buying food. Those with sufficient funds often can "rent" space in a better wing of the prison.
In isolated instances prisoners have died due to lack of clear prison procedures and insufficient medical resources in the prisons. In December 2006 prison officials reported that deaths by preventable causes increased to 46 in 2005 (compared with 24 in 2004) and continued to increase during the year. As of October 13, 2006, 38 inmates had been killed by other prisoners, and 16 inmates had committed suicide.
A study by the public defender's office in seven of 13 regions reported that during 2005, 59 percent of prisoners claimed to have been victims of abuse or attacks. In 34 percent of reported abuse cases, the alleged offenders were prison officials. Seventeen percent of prisoners reported receiving physical punishment, and 6 percent of prisoners described their physical punishment as "torture."
The government permits prison visits by independent human rights observers, and such visits take place. These include regular visits by Catholic and Protestant clerics and the NGO Paternitas. Amnesty International
and the International Committee of the Red Cross
have also been granted access to facilities and prisoners. Prisoner rights groups continue to investigate alleged use of excessive force against detainees and particularly were concerned with the treatment of prisoners in maximum security prisons. Prisoners with HIV/AIDS and mental disabilities allegedly fail to receive adequate medical attention.
During 2006 one court case alleging physical abuse or negligence was filed against prison officials. Of the eight court cases filed in 2005, two officials had been absolved; charges were dropped in another case; and one official convicted for abuse received a suspended sentence, a two-month suspension, and was fined $700 (364,000 pesos) plus court costs. Judicial action in the remaining cases continued at the end of 2006. As of August 2006, courts had not substantiated any of the 29 complaints alleging abuse or negligence that were filed during the year. The Gendarmeria also conducted administrative investigations into all allegations of abuse.
On 22 July 1995 some 1,500 people, many of them members of the army, attended a rally outside the Punta Peuco prison in solidarity for Brigadier Espinoza. Some inmates are: Manuel Contreras
, Raúl Iturriaga
, Pedro Espinoza.
in the San Miguel prison in Santiago
killed 81 inmates in Chile's deadliest prison incident.
The fire broke out at 5:30am Chile Daylight Time (8:30am GMT
) on the third floor, reportedly during a fight between rival gangs who set mattresses alight. Local firefighters took around three hours to bring the fire under control.
81 inmates were reported killed, and 14 suffered life-threatening burns, according to health minister Jaime Mañalich
. One firefighter and two prison guards also suffered lesser injuries. According to Chile's Fundacion Paz Ciudadana, the prison's capacity is 892, but was heavily overcrowded with 1,654 inmates.
The incident prompted Chile's president
Sebastián Piñera
to call for an end to the overcrowding in the country's prison system, saying: "We cannot keep living with a prison system which is absolutely inhumane. We are going to speed up the process to ensure our country has a humane, dignified prison system that befits a civilised country."
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
are generally poor. Prisons often are overcrowded and antiquated, with substandard sanitary conditions.
Background
In December 2009 there were approximately 50,000 prisoners in prisons designed to hold 33,000 inmates. Prisons in the Santiago Metropolitan RegionSantiago Metropolitan Region
Santiago Metropolitan Region or simply Metropolitan Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is the country's only landlocked administrative region and contains the nation's capital, Santiago...
were at nearly double capacity. The 2006 Diego Portales University School of Law study on prison conditions reiterated that prison services such as health care remained substandard. Prison food
Prison food
Prison food refers to the meals served to prisoners while incarcerated in correctional institutions. While some prisons prepare their own food, many use staff from on-site catering companies.-United States:...
meets minimal nutritional needs, and prisoners can supplement their diets by buying food. Those with sufficient funds often can "rent" space in a better wing of the prison.
In isolated instances prisoners have died due to lack of clear prison procedures and insufficient medical resources in the prisons. In December 2006 prison officials reported that deaths by preventable causes increased to 46 in 2005 (compared with 24 in 2004) and continued to increase during the year. As of October 13, 2006, 38 inmates had been killed by other prisoners, and 16 inmates had committed suicide.
A study by the public defender's office in seven of 13 regions reported that during 2005, 59 percent of prisoners claimed to have been victims of abuse or attacks. In 34 percent of reported abuse cases, the alleged offenders were prison officials. Seventeen percent of prisoners reported receiving physical punishment, and 6 percent of prisoners described their physical punishment as "torture."
The government permits prison visits by independent human rights observers, and such visits take place. These include regular visits by Catholic and Protestant clerics and the NGO Paternitas. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
and the International Committee of the Red Cross
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...
have also been granted access to facilities and prisoners. Prisoner rights groups continue to investigate alleged use of excessive force against detainees and particularly were concerned with the treatment of prisoners in maximum security prisons. Prisoners with HIV/AIDS and mental disabilities allegedly fail to receive adequate medical attention.
During 2006 one court case alleging physical abuse or negligence was filed against prison officials. Of the eight court cases filed in 2005, two officials had been absolved; charges were dropped in another case; and one official convicted for abuse received a suspended sentence, a two-month suspension, and was fined $700 (364,000 pesos) plus court costs. Judicial action in the remaining cases continued at the end of 2006. As of August 2006, courts had not substantiated any of the 29 complaints alleging abuse or negligence that were filed during the year. The Gendarmeria also conducted administrative investigations into all allegations of abuse.
Punta Peuco Prision
The Punta Peuco prison is a special facility specifically built in 1995 for human rights offenders located on the outskirts of Santiago, holds around 70 inmates and is considerably more comfortable than a standard Chilean jail. After considerable military protest and insubordination in response to the sentences against violations of the human rights it was built whithin a military terrain but it is administered by gendarmería as other prisions.On 22 July 1995 some 1,500 people, many of them members of the army, attended a rally outside the Punta Peuco prison in solidarity for Brigadier Espinoza. Some inmates are: Manuel Contreras
Manuel Contreras
Juan Manuel Guillermo Contreras Sepúlveda is a Chilean military officer and the former head of DINA, Chile's secret police during the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. As head of DINA he was the most powerful and feared man in the country, after Pinochet...
, Raúl Iturriaga
Raúl Iturriaga
Raúl Eduardo Iturriaga Neumann is a Chilean Army general and a former deputy director of the DINA, the Chilean secret police under the Augusto Pinochet military dictatorship...
, Pedro Espinoza.
2010 Santiago prison fire
On 8 December 2010 a conflagrationConflagration
A conflagration or a blaze is an uncontrolled burning that threatens human life, health, or property. A conflagration can be accidentally begun, naturally caused , or intentionally created . Arson can be accomplished for the purpose of sabotage or diversion, and also can be the consequence of...
in the San Miguel prison in Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
killed 81 inmates in Chile's deadliest prison incident.
The fire broke out at 5:30am Chile Daylight Time (8:30am GMT
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
) on the third floor, reportedly during a fight between rival gangs who set mattresses alight. Local firefighters took around three hours to bring the fire under control.
81 inmates were reported killed, and 14 suffered life-threatening burns, according to health minister Jaime Mañalich
Jaime Mañalich
Jaime José Mañalich Muxi is a Chilean physician , current Health Minister of his country, since March 11, 2010.-References:...
. One firefighter and two prison guards also suffered lesser injuries. According to Chile's Fundacion Paz Ciudadana, the prison's capacity is 892, but was heavily overcrowded with 1,654 inmates.
The incident prompted Chile's president
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
Sebastián Piñera
Sebastián Piñera
Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique is a Chilean businessman and politician. He was elected President of Chile in January 2010, taking office in March 2010.- Education :...
to call for an end to the overcrowding in the country's prison system, saying: "We cannot keep living with a prison system which is absolutely inhumane. We are going to speed up the process to ensure our country has a humane, dignified prison system that befits a civilised country."
Statistics
Penal population as of November 30, 2010.| Type | Men | Women | Total | % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Closed subsystem | 48,225 | 4,734 | 52,959 | 49.07 | Prison inmates. |
| Semi-open subsystem | 650 | 42 | 692 | 0.64 | Inmates in educational and work centers. |
| Open subsystem | 46,669 | 7,599 | 54,268 | 50.29 | Includes those on parole, probation, etc. |
| Total | 95,544 | 12,375 | 107,919 | 100.00 |