SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN REFORMING THE

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001358

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PINS PGOV DR
SUBJECT: SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN REFORMING THE
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC'S PRISON SYSTEM


1. Summary: A/DCM and Poloff attended the inauguration of the
Dominican Republic's twelfth model Correctional and Rehabilitation
Center (CRC) in Moca on 11/5/2009. According to the Attorney
General's Office, there are roughly 19,000 prisoners and detainees
in 35 prisons across the country, with an intended capacity of
10,000 prisoners. The twelve CRCs hold approximately 3,000 of
these prisoners, while conventional prisons contain the rest. The
Attorney General has made prison reform one of his top priorities
and significant progress is being made in improving prison
conditions and rehabilitation efforts for those incarcerated in one
of the new CRC's. End Summary.




2. President Leonel Fernandez, First Lady Margarita Cedeno de
Fernandez, Attorney General Radhames Jimenez Perez, Prison Director
Manuel de Jesus Perez Sanchez, and National Police Chief Rafael
Guzman Fermin headed the Government of the Dominican Republic
(GoDR) delegation attending the inauguration. Following the
ceremonials, A/DCM and Poloff joined a tour with President
Fernandez of the newest CRC. The compound contains six buildings
that will hold the 1,200 prisoners, a cafeteria, a store, a
barbershop, four workshops, and five security towers. The Attorney
General's Office, which has responsibility for the prison system,
has yet to announce the official date when the prison will start
processing new prisoners.




3. With technical support and funding from the European Union, the
CRCs, newly built or converted from older prison facilities,
provide prisoners with improved living conditions and other
amenities in comparison to the country's traditional prisons. At
the CRCs, professionally trained civilian corrections officers have
replaced the police and military officers employed in traditional
prisons. The goal of these new "model prisons" is to improve the
rehabilitation prospects of inmates through vocational training and
other educational opportunities. Classes focus on literacy, English
courses, information systems, and agricultural and industrial
training.




4. To date, twelve CRCs have been built or converted, in Puerto
Plata, Najayo, Santo Domingo, Dajabon, Santiago, Elias Pi????a, Mao,
Monte Plata, San Francisco de Macoris, San Pedro de Macoris, and
now Moca. The total cost of the prison project in Moca was 300
million pesos ($8.3M USD),and it was completed in six months.




5. COMMENT: The GoDR is dedicating significant effort and
resources to the improvement of prison conditions. The CRCs
currently house about 16 percent of the total inmate population, a
percentage that continues to increase as more model facilities are
opened. According to the Attorney General's Office, five CRCs are
currently being developed in Higuey, La Romana, Salcedo, San Juan
de la Maguana and Bani. Meanwhile, prison conditions for the
remaining 84 percent remain dismal, with chronic overcrowding (the
largest prison, La Victoria, built for 1,300 inmates now houses
over 4,000),dilapidated facilities, inadequate resources,
widespread corruption among military and police guards, and with
criminal gangs in effective control of many facilities.
Lambert