Enhanced prison regime seeks to dismantle criminal networks from inside Chilean prisons
A new high-surveillance penitentiary protocol is already being applied in four facilities across the country, with severe restrictions for inmates linked to criminal gangs such as Tren de Aragua.
Enhanced prison regime seeks to dismantle criminal networks from inside Chilean prisons
Four penitentiary complexes across the national territory began implementing on Tuesday a system of strict control aimed at neutralising the activities of criminal organisations operating from behind prison walls. The initiative imposes the use of fire-resistant clothing, the requirement of accommodation in individual compartments and the prohibition of physical contact during family visits.
Luis Silva, who holds the position of Under-Secretary of Justice, was present in La Serena to verify the beginning of the measure. In that facility, 43 people deprived of liberty—a considerable proportion of them affiliated with Tren de Aragua—are already under the new directives.
The strategy is not new: during the previous year it had already been tested in the Repas in Santiago and in the correctional centres of Alto Hospicio and Concepción. The intention now is to extend it uniformly to prevent cells from becoming command centres for illicit activities.
Among the provisions governing inmates are curfew at 21:45, the use of shackles for any movement outside the ward and constant filming with portable recording devices. Every six months it is reviewed whether the prisoner should remain in that category. In addition, those incorporated by resolution of the Gendarmería chief, Rubén Pérez, undergo specific evaluations after two, three and four months of detention.
The programme expansion will continue with the facilities of Alto Hospicio and La Laguna, located in Talca, although the authority acknowledged that full deployment will take time due to the investments required.
Regarding complementary regulations, Silva anticipated that changes are being considered relating to the packages received by prisoners and the handling of cash within the facilities. Protocols for separating inmate populations according to the type of crime committed are also being prepared.
The official emphasised that the central purpose is to transform prisons so that they cease to be the most vulnerable point in the chain of combating organised crime, achieving that those who are sentenced cannot continue coordinating illicit activities from their confinement.
_Source: Publimicro_
Source: Google News CL — Crime