The Dominican Republic’s Broken Prison System
Inmates stand inside a corridor during time they are allowed to be outside of their cells at Najayo jail in San Cristobal, west of Santo Domingo, May 30, 2007. (Photo: AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)
In March 2024, a short circuit in a cell at La Victoria National Penitentiary in Santo Domingo resulted in a fire, followed by an explosion that ultimately claimed the lives of 11 inmates. The incident, which was the deadliest prison fire in the country since 2005, resulted in reignited calls for the Dominican Republic’s prison system to be reformed. In response, the nation’s president Luis Abinader appointed former prisons director Roberto Santana to director of the National Office of Support for Penitentiary Reform. The objective of the appointment was to repair the long ailing prison system; however, despite this, the system remains strained, dangerous, and nonfunctional.
Much of the issues within the Dominican Republic’s prison system is a result of rampant overcrowding. The nation’s constitution allows for “preventive detention,” meaning citizens can be held in prison prior to trial and sentencing, which majorly contributes to the overcrowding issue. Indeed, over 60 percent of the prison population consists of those being held in preventive detention and some inmates have been held in prison for over 20 years without a trial. The backlogged courts with the inability to process paperwork in a timely manner is largely responsible for the length of time people stay in prison without a trial. Additionally, many prisoners cannot afford the fine the court orders them to pay in exchange for release.
La Victoria, the nation’s oldest prison and the one that had the deadly 2024 fire, has the capacity for a maximum of 2,100 prisoners. In spite of this, 7,000 currently reside there with 3,300 being prisoners held on preventive detention.
Dominican Republic President Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona addresses the Summit of the Future, in the United Nations General Assembly, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (Photo: AP Photo/Richard Drew)
This overcrowding fosters an increasingly dangerous environment. With prisoners outnumbering prison guards, the U.S. Department of State determined that it is more common to see prison guards patrol the outer perimeter of the prison, while inmates controlled the inside of the prisons with their “own rules and systems of justice.” This results in prison interiors being run by gangs, leading to extortion, drug trafficking, violence, and murder. The overcrowding is so persistent that some prisons have resorted to placing overflow inmates in trucks with tin roofs.
Additionally, overcrowded and dilapidated prisons also create unhealthy living conditions for prisoners. Often there are not enough bathrooms for all the prisoners, and some cells lack proper ventilation or natural light which causes mental and physical health to quickly worsen. Moreover, prisoners with conditions like HIV that need medicine often have a difficult time accessing the proper medication. Rehabilitation efforts to help inmates re-enter society is also made nearly impossible due to overcrowding, therefore prisoners that do get released have a higher level of recidivism.
Thus far, the main proposal from the Dominican Government to remedy their prisons has been to just build more. Director Santana has stated that 25 more prisons will be constructed by 2028 to hold a combined total of 20,000 inmates. Presently, the Dominican Republic has 19 traditional prisons and 22 correctional rehabilitation centers.
As the first anniversary of the deadly fire and explosion at La Victoria approaches, it remains unclear if the Dominican Republic will be able to remedy their prison issues simply through the construction of more prisons. However, as their crime rate continues to rise, it becomes evident that something needs to be done soon.