Poor Prison Conditions Globally and in Argentina

Poor Prison Conditions

Valen Taranto

“It is the mission of the Federal Bureau of Prisons to protect society by confining offenders in the controlled environments of prisons and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law-abiding citizens.” -Federal Bureau of Prisons

Prison system

Prisons depend on three main factors, which are: -Government policies and politics -Power authorities (Police, prison staff, etc) -Criminal justice system These three factors may affect: -Size of prison population -Humane prison conditions -Prison income and resources -Social welfare and awareness -Security -Rehabilitation and other priorities

United Nations. (2006). Custodial and Non-Custodial measures of the prison system. UN. Retrieved October 21, 2021, from https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison-reform/cjat_eng/1_Prison_%20System.pdf

Main Issues

Rehabilitation and other priorities

Lack of humane prison conditions

Security and Dignity

Prison income and resources

Rehabilitation and other priorities

Security and Dignity

Prison income and resources

Lack of humane prison conditions

• Power imbalance
• Abundant preventive safety measures to compensate for lack of good treatement
• Insuficcient and faultful security training.
• Police brutality

• Low quality of food, hygiene, personal space and accomodations, medical attention, professionalism, and respect

• Prohibition of personal items
• Racism

• Bad treatement of mentally ill prisoners
• Poor prisoner behaviour
• Lack of understanding of nescessities

• Prison space and management

• Quality of training of police officers and of food, clothing, and the prison´s building and materials

Rehabilitation and other priorities

Security and Dignity

Prison income and resources

Lack of humane prison conditions

• Power imbalance
• Abundant preventive safety measures to compensate for lack of good treatement
• Insuficcient and faultful security training.
• Police brutality

• Low quality of food, hygiene, personal space and accomodations, medical attention, professionalism, and respect

• Prohibition of personal items
• Racism

• Bad treatement of mentally ill prisoners
• Poor prisoner behaviour
• Lack of understanding of nescessities

• Prison space and management

• Quality of training of police officers and of food, clothing, and the prison´s building and materials

Rehabilitation and other priorities

Security and Dignity

Prison income and resources

Lack of humane prison conditions

• Power imbalance
• Abundant preventive safety measures to compensate for lack of good treatement
• Insuficcient and faultful security training.
• Police brutality

• Low quality of food, hygiene, personal space and accomodations, medical attention, professionalism, and respect

• Prohibition of personal items
• Racism

• Bad treatement of mentally ill prisoners
• Poor prisoner behaviour
• Lack of understanding of nescessities

• Prison space and management

• Quality of training of police officers and of food, clothing, and the prison´s building and materials

Rehabilitation and other priorities

Security and Dignity

Prison income and resources

Lack of humane prison conditions

• Power imbalance
• Abundant preventive safety measures to compensate for lack of good treatement
• Insuficcient and faultful security training.
• Police brutality

• Low quality of food, hygiene, personal space and accomodations, medical attention, professionalism, and respect

• Prohibition of personal items
• Racism

• Bad treatement of mentally ill prisoners
• Poor prisoner behaviour
• Lack of understanding of nescessities

• Prison space and management

• Quality of training of police officers and of food, clothing, and the prison´s building and materials

Local Issue // Argentina

Issues Present

-Prison overcrowding-Racism -Gang activity -Privatization -Assaults-No medical treatment, education or rehabilitation

Food

-Lacking in nutrition -Made from the cheapest ingredients -Unsanitary kitchens

Security and Privacy

-Not protected from excessive searches of their person or cell-Prisoners are beaten, stabbed, raped, and killed in facilities run by corrupt and under-trained officials or between prisoners themselves

Hygiene and Health

-Easily communicable diseases due to overcrowding and poor sanitization

What NOT to do

• Exploit prison staff and inmates for corporate gain
• They focus on different aspects more than others
• Private prisons make income off the prison, but give more importance to the economic aspect than the humanitarian and safety aspect
• Imbalance in the number of inmates
• Higher rates of racism and prejudice due to monetary reasons

Solution

Investing more money on public prison systems for better quality of human rights, treatement, management, and buildings.This could be achieved by taking a small sum of the general public's taxes and have the government invest in a better future for inmates and prisons alike.

How my solution improves the prison system and quality

• Good prison staff training and quantity
• Safe and humane security measures and treatment
• Better environment, food, and hygiene
• Better medical attention and prevention of diseases, accidents and infections
• The care of prisoners´ mental health, preventing fighting and suicide rates
• Less expensive costs of incarceration
• The admission of different ethnicities and ages without prejudice

Thanks for Watching

Bibliography

Argentina: Neglected prisons. (2019, August 19). Prison Insider. Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.prison-insider.com/en/articles/argentine-des-prisons-a-l-abandon Clint Smith, C. S. (2016, August 24). Why the U.S. Is Right to Move Away from Private Prisons. The New Yorker. Retrieved November 18, 2021, from https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/why-the-u-s-is-right-to-move-away-from-private-prisons Etienne Benson, E. B. (2003, August). Rehabilitate or punish? American Psychological Association. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug03/rehab Federal Bureau of Prisons. (n.d.). Agency pillars. BOP. Retrieved November 18, 2021, from https://www.bop.gov/about/agency/agency_pillars.jsp House of Commons. (2009, December 1). Justice Committee - First Report Cutting crime: the case for justice reinvestment. UK Parliament. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmjust/94/9402.htm ICRC. (2014, October 28). Lack of resources for prisons is having a severe impact on the lives of millions of detainees. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://www.icrc.org/en/document/annual-conference-international-corrections-and-prisons-association-icpa

Bibliography

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS Penal Reform International & APT. (n.d.). Balancing security and dignity in prisons: A framework for preventive monitoring. Penal Reform International. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://cdn.penalreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/security-dignity-v8-final_for-web.pdf Rachelle Fobbs, R. F. (n.d.). Private prisons: Pros & Cons. Study. Retrieved November 18, 2021, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/private-prisons-pros-cons.html United Nations. (1992, December 18). Declaration on the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance. OHCHR. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/enforceddisappearance.aspx#:~:text=Article%202-,1.,and%20eradication%20of%20enforced%20disappearance United Nations. (2006). Custodial and Non-Custodial measures of the prison system. UN. Retrieved October 21, 2021, from https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison-reform/cjat_eng/1_Prison_%20System.pdf World Prison Brief. (n.d.). Argentina world prison brief. WPB. Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.prisonstudies.org/country/argentina