…the PRISON.

6/30/10
Today the social work interns got to see the prison, where over 400 inmates are crammed into a space built for 70 people. There are currently 386 men and 36 women at the Monte Cristi prison, and on any given night, approximately 150 inmates are forced to sleep on the floor due to the massive overcrowding. While males and females are separated, there is no differentiation of any kind between prisoners with varying degrees of offenses. Some are cheaters, some are thieves, some are drug lords, and some are murderers: all living together under one roof—que fiesta! Fights, sexual assaults, bribery, threats, and severe injuries are incredibly common. When it rains, the men stand under the roof shoulder to shoulder. There is virtually no access to medical equipment if someone is injured by another inmate or contracts an illness of any sort. Disease spreads like wildfire – if one person is sick, everyone is sick. Also, these inmates are required to pay for their own transportation to court; otherwise, they will remain in jail until they can pay. The corruption and manipulation of the political structure spills over into the judicial system and the prisons. Authorities turn a blind eye to the atrocious conditions and overcrowding in the prisons, as well as a deaf ear to the numerous complaints of the disciplinary officer.