Describe the history of the Venezuelan prison system and its origins.

Part 1: Read Chapter 7 on page 115.

Part 2: Write a 1000 word research paper on the following:

Title – Describe the history of the Venezuelan prison system and its origins. Explain the issues concerning overcrowding, overpopulation, inadequate staff, a failed judiciary, widespread corruption, high levels of violence, and the improper segregation of criminals. Analyze any possible solutions using the Western (United States) method of corrections as an example.

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References – Yes. Minimum of 4 scholarly references. Outside sources are permitted. Ebook source is mandatory. Wikipedia is not allowed.

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SEVENOrganizedChaosVenezuela’sPrisonCrisisBrianFonsecaandPamelaPameláOntheeveningofJanuary6,2014,MonicaSpear,actressandformerMissVenezuela,andherhusbandwereviolentlymurderedalongthePuertoCabello-ValenciahighwayinVenezuela.1ThemurderssparkedoutrageandprotestsfromVenezuelansacrossthecountry.Inrecentyears,sense-lesscrimeandviolencehasbecomethenorminVenezuela.AccordingtotheCitizenCouncilforPublicSecurityandCriminalJustice,Caracasisthesecondmostviolentcityintheworld,registeringanalarming134.36homicidesper100,000citizensin2013.2ScholarsandobserversarguethatviolenceinVenezuelastemsfromthedestructionanddistortionofinsti-tutionsandtheincreasingprevalenceoforganizedcrimeinthecountry—bothofwhichintersectwithinthecountry’sprisons.InVenezuela,pris-onsareillustrativeofthegovernment’sinabilitytoeffectivelyexecutedomesticsecurityandjudicialpolicy.PrisonsinVenezuelasufferfromoverpopulation,overcrowding,de-cayedfacilities,inadequatestaff,afailedjudiciary,widespreadcorrup-tion,impropersegregationofcriminals,andextremelyhighlevelsofvio-lence.Combined,theseissuesdriveacomplexcriminalunderworldseeminglyisolatedfromthestateandsociety.Inmostcases,inmatescontrolprisonsthroughinformalhierarchiesfacilitatedbycorruptoffi-cialsandtheinmatesoftenoutgunprisonauthorities.Inmates,withtheexplicitsupportfromcorruptprisonauthoritiesandmilitarypersonnel,routinelyengageinorganizedcriminalactivities.In2012,theEconomistcomparedprisonsinVenezuela,andotherprisonsinLatinAmerica,toa115Prisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

116BrianFonsecaandPamelaPamelájourneyintohell,arguingthatprisonswereperpetuatingacultureofcriminality.3InmatesthatareincarceratedinVenezuelaonrelativelymi-noroffensesreturntosocietyashardened,experienced,andviolentcrim-inals.LimitedscientificresearchandthelackofcomprehensivequalitydatamakeitdifficulttotrulyassessthesituationwithinthewallsofVenezue-la’sprisons.Muchofwhathasbeenpublishedtodateislargelyanecdotalandjournalisticinnature,anddatafromgovernmentandNGOsourcesoftenconflictwitheachother.Therealityisthatprisonauthoritiesdolittletodocument,monitor,andassessprisonactivities,andoftentheirdataisinaccurate.Thepublic’sawarenessofprisonconditionsoftenoc-curswhenriotsorprotestsbreakoutwithinprisons,andtheseriotsandprotestsusuallyindicateanescalationofturfwarsamongprisongangsorconflictsbetweencorruptofficialsandcriminalorganizationsoperat-ingoutsideoftheprisons.4PRISONS:SEVERESTATEOFNEGLECTPrisonsremainatthecenterofVenezuela’spenitentiarycrisisandsufferfromsevereneglectbythestate.Prisonsareoverpopulated,poorlymain-tained,andlargelycontrolledbytheinmates.Prisonshavebecomesyn-onymouswithhellinVenezuela.Toillustratethedeplorableconditionsinprisons,formerTocorónandLaPlantainmateturnedTVpersonalityLuidigOchoacreatedapopularanimatedYouTubeseriestitled“JailorHell”(CarceloInfierno)in2011;by2014,theserieshadmorethansevenmillionviewsonYouTube.5Ochoa’sseriesoffersauniqueandaccuratelookattheviolentandinhumaneconditionsthatexistinVenezuela’sprisons.Intheseries’sevenminutelongfirstepisode,Ochoahighlightsprisonovercrowding,thefailedjudiciary,extremeviolenceamongin-mates,andshowstheNationalGuard’scomplicitinvolvementinpro-motingcriminalactivity.6OvercrowdingandoverpopulationarethemostcriticalissuesdrivingVenezuela’sinabilitytocontrolitsprisons.Venezuela’sfifty-oneimpris-onmentcenters(includingjailsanddetainmentcenters)haveacapacityfor16,189inmates,yetaccordingtotheNGOObservatorioVenezolanodePrisiones(OVP),Venezuelanprisonscurrentlyhouse53,566inmates,whichis231percentovercapacity.7Duringthethirteen-yeartenureofformerPresidentHugoChávez,thegovernmentbuiltonlyonenewpris-onandexpandedtheinfamousYarePrison,whereHugoChávezwasimprisonedafterhisfailedmilitarycoupin1992.Duringthesameperiod,Venezuela’sprisonpopulationmorethandoubled.8In2011,newlyappointedMinisterofPrisonsIrisVareladeclaredovercrowdingthemostimportantfactordrivingVenezuela’sprisoncri-sis.Infact,Varelavowedtorelease40percentofthecountry’s50,000Prisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

Venezuela’sPrisonCrisis117Figure7.1.PrisonPopulation.Source:ObservatorioVenezolanodePrisonesinmates,citingherintenttocloseprisonsinsteadofbuildingnewfacil-ities.However,Varelareversedheremphasisonclosingprisonsasaresultofpublicbacklashandtherealityontheground.Varelainsteadcommittedtobuildingnewfacilitiesby2012.9ContributingtotheovercrowdingandoverpopulationisVenezuela’sineptjudiciary.TheinabilityofVenezuelancourtstoeffectivelyprocesspretrialdetaineesisleavingtheoverwhelmingmajorityoftheprisonpopulationinajudicialuncertainty,sometimesforyearsatatime.In2014,OVPcitesthatonly29.89percentoftheprisonpopulationhasactu-allybeensentencedorconvictedofacrime.Thatmeansnearly75percentofthecountry’sprisonpopulationisclassifiedaspretrialdetainees.10Furthermore,Venezuelanpenallawscallfortheseparationofpretrialdetaineesandconvicts;however,becauseoflimitedprisonfacilities,pris-onauthoritiesareleftwithfewoptionsbuttointegratepretrialdetaineeswithconvicts.Makingmattersworse,prisonauthoritiesfailtoappropri-atelyseparateinmatesbasedonseverityofthecriminaloffense.Nonvio-lentoffendersareoftenimprisonedwithviolentcriminals,causingmanynonviolentoffenderstore-entersocietyashardenedcriminals.Venezuela’sprisonpopulationconsistslargelyoflower-classyoungmen,manyofwhomarefirsttimeoffenders.Detaileddemographicdataislimitedandrecidivismratesareunavailable.However,94percentoftheprisonpopulationismale,andaccordingtosurveysconductedwithinmates,approximately72percentoftheinmatepopulationisbetweentheagesofnineteenandtwenty-nineyearsold—thevastmajoritybe-tweentheagesoftwentytotwenty-fouryearsold.11Surveysalsoindi-catethatthemajorityofinmatesbetweennineteenandtwenty-nineyearsPrisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

118BrianFonsecaandPamelaPameláofagearefirsttimeoffenders.HighunemploymentandlackofeducationinVenezuelaaretheprimaryreasonsgivenbyinmatesforcommittingthecrimesthatledtotheirimprisonment.PrisonsinVenezuelaareconsideredbymanytobeamongthemostviolentintheworld.Since1999,whenChávezbeganhispresidency,6,163inmateshavediedand16,208havebeeninjured—1,300deathsoverthepasttwoyearsalone.Theincreasingannualdeathrateinsideprisonscorrespondswiththegrowinginmatepopulation.AccordingtoOVP,themostviolentVenezuelanprisonsin2013wereSabaneta(79deaths),To-cuyito(70deaths),Uribana(63deaths),Tocoron(51deaths),andPeniten-ciariadeVenezuela(44deaths).Scholarsarguethatprisonviolenceisaresultoftwogeneralconsiderations:theinabilityofthestatetoassertcontroloverthecountry’sprisonsandinmatepopulation,andtheimpor-tanceofillicitactivitiesconductedinsideprisonsandintheirsurround-ingcommunities.12PRISONSANDORGANIZEDCRIMEVenezuelanprisonscanbedescribedasanorganized,yetchaoticunder-world;aviolenthellthatallowsforrelativeorderthroughhierarchicallystructuredprisongangs.AccordingtoVenezuela’sDirecciónNacionaldeServiciosPenitenciarios(NationalDirectorateofPenitentiaryServices),Venezuelanprisonsaregovernedthroughelcarro(thecar),aninformalauthoritystructurethatexistsinsideofallVenezuelanprisons.ElcarroisaphenomenonexclusivetoVenezuelaandisledbypranesandluceros.Figure7.2.NumberofPrisonDeathsinVenezuela,Source:ObservatorioVe-nezolanodePrisionesPrisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

Venezuela’sPrisonCrisis119Thepranisaprisongangleaderthatusuallyacquirescontrolofaprison’sinmatepopulationbyhavingaviolentreputationandstringofbrutalcrimesbehindhim—bothinsideandoutsideprisons.Thereisstilladebateastohowthetermpranemerged.AccordingtojournalistandauthorPatriciaClarembaux,authorofAeseinfiernoNoVuelvo(IWon’tReturntoHell),pranisanacronymforpreso,residente,asesino,nato,mean-ingbornmurderer,residentinmate.DuringClarembaux’sfieldresearch,aninmatesuggestedthatthetermwasderivedfromPuertoRico’sprisongangsandisaderivationofthewordpram,or“smallcar.”13Lucerosactasthepran’sinnercircleandsoldiers,andcanrangeup-wardtoafewhundredperpran,dependingonthesizeoftheprisonandinmatepopulation.InRodeoI,forexample,thetwomaincarrosaremadeupof500lucerosandcontrolthelivesofthemorethan3,000inmateshousedintheprison.14Thesocialstructureoftheinmatesisveryhierarchicalandnormative.Thepranassertspowerthroughthemonopolyoffirearmsandtheappli-cationofviolence.Gangleadersenforcewhatmightseemlikeanexces-siveamountofrules,meanttominimizeviolenceandmaintainorderwithinprisons.However,thisisnecessary,particularlyinprisonswheretherearemultiplepranesaspowerplayscanleadtoprisonriotsandclashesbetweengangs.Thisispreciselywhyeveryinmateisgivenatitle,duty,andasetofnormstouphold,becausethepranneedstocontroleveryaspectoftheprison—fromthemeansofgeneratingfundstotheremovalofunwantedinmates.Sincethestatehaslittletonocontrolinsidetheprisons,expertspro-claimthatthecurrentsituationrepresentsanundeclaredtruceorpactbetweeninmatesandthestate.AccordingtoOVP,morethan80percentofVenezuelanprisonsarecontrolledbyinmates.Inmates’completecon-troloftheprison,insideandout,canbeattributedtothestate’sconsensu-alreleaseofauthority,mostlikelyduetotheexplosionoftheprisonpopulationinthe1990s,andtheirincreasedaccumulationofweaponsthroughsmuggling.15Weaponssmuggling,informaleconomies,andotherillicitactivitiesallowforapran’spreservationofpower.Intheseprisons,nothingisfree;fromaplacetosleeptoprotectionandataxondrugsales,praneschargeinmatesinthelowerranksforeverything.InApril2013,areportwassenttoalocalnewspaperinVenezuelafromemployeesoftheNationalDirectorateofPenitentiaryServices,theemployeeskeptanonymityforpoliticalreasons.Thereportestimatesthatanaverageprisongeneratesalmost14.5millionBolivarsayearfromallthefeespranescollect—about2.5millionUSD(calculatedbyofficialexchangeratesduringthattime).16TheseandotherknownactivitiesleadexpertstoclaimVenezuelanpris-onshavebecomebanks,armories,anddrugwarehouses.Inmatesareknowntoconductextortion,kidnapping,armedrobbery,murder,anddrugtrafficking—bothinsideandoutsidetheprison—toPrisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

120BrianFonsecaandPamelaPamelágeneratefunds.InaninterviewwithRobertoBriceño-Leon,anexpertoncrimeandviolenceinVenezuela,anexamplewascitedwherethepranofaprisoninthestateofAnzoáteguiisknowntoleavetheprisontoextortconstructionbusinesses.17Otheraccountsconfirmpreviousreportsofinmateshabituallyleavingtheprisonatnightandcomingbackearlyinthemornings.18Theideathatprisonsactascommandcentersfororganizedcrime,then,isnothearsayorspeculationanymore.ThedirectoroftheNGOPazActiva(ActivePeace),assertsthatthepran’scontrolisnothingmorethanthesameleadershipthattheymayhavehadinacriminalstructureout-side,transferredintothewallsoftheprison.Heargues,“themorepow-erfulthepranbecomesinsidethejail,hisleadershiptranscendsintothestreet,sincecurrentlytherehavebeenorganizedmafiasfoundtooperatefromtheprisonswithexternaltiesofgreatreach.”19Stronglinkstodrugtraffickingexist,asinmatesnotonlyhabituallyusedrugsbutalsostoretheminsidetheprisons.AsBriceño-Leoncorrob-orates,prisonsaresafehousestostorevarioustypesofillicititems.Anumberofprisonshavebeenraidedbypoliceforces,anddrugsandfirearmsareconsistentlyseized.20Heandotherexpertsalsoassertthatthetradeofdrugspermeatesintothesurroundingcommunitiesthankstotheirextensivecriminalnetworksandagreementswithorpayoffstopo-liceforcesguardingtheprisons.Drugtraffickingthroughthecommandorparticipationofprisonsisafactornotonlywithinthecountry’sbordersbutinternationally.Pranesandthesecriminalgroupsworkhandinhandwithextensionsof,orsimilargroupsoforganizedcrime.Inthisvein,SanAntonio,theprisoninMargaritaIsland,locatedintheCaribbeanandhometothelargestdrug-traffickinginmatepopulation,isconsideredbymanytobeastrategictraffickingroutethroughtheCaribbean.SanAntonio’scurrentpran,TeófiloRodríguez,orElConejo(“TheRabbit”),wasapowerfulnarcotraf-fickeratthetimeofhisarrest.21Margarita’sprisonisnotonlyapossiblekeylinktotransnationaldrugtrafficking,butmightalsohaveconnectionstotransnationalorganizedcrimeactorssuchastheMexicanSinaloacartelandterroristorganizationHezbollah.AccordingtoformerU.S.PermanentRepresentativetotheOrganizationofAmericanStates(OAS)RogerNoriega,inatestimonybeforetheHouseCommitteeonForeignAffairsinMarch2013,Margaritahasbecomeasafehavenforterroristsanddrugsmugglers.Citinghisownresearch,heassertsthatboththeSinaloacartelandHezbollahrunoperationsinandthroughtheisland,particularlybydrugtraffickingandfund-raisingactivities.22Suchassertions(withthecaveatthatNoriega’sclaimsarepartlyanecdotal),leadonetoquestionthepossibleconnectionthatmightexistbetweenoneoftheisland’smostpowerfulnarcotraffick-ersandotherdrugtraffickingandtransnationalcriminalorganizations.Prisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

Venezuela’sPrisonCrisis121Finally,theimplicationssurroundinggovernmentofficials’illegalac-tivitiesareenormous.Officialsincontroloftheprisons’peripheriesarecomplicitandcollaboratewithinmatesinordertomoveillicitgoodsandpersonsinandoutofprisons.Althoughneithersideadmitsit,boththeinmatesandgovernmentactorsnegotiateandarriveatarrangementsthatbenefitbothsides—theinmatesaregrantedpassageofpersonsanditemsinandoutofprisons,andgovernmentofficialsarepaidoff,allwhileensuringcontrolismaintainedinsideprisons.Riotsandconfrontationsbetweeninmatesandofficialsrarelyoccur,butwhentheydooccuritislargelyassociatedwithdealsgonewrong.23Ultimately,theNationalGuardandauthoritiesarefullyawareoftheactivitiesgoingoninsideandaroundtheprisons,particularlywhenmanyoftheweaponsseizedaremilitary-grade.24Therefore,expertsinterviewedsuggestthattherealpranesarethecorruptedofficials(oftenNationalGuardleadership)thatallowpranestogoverninsidetheprison.25EVOLUTIONOFPOLICYVenezuelanpoliciesregardingthepenitentiarysystemarecharacterizedbyinconsistency,inefficiency,andalackofrealpoliticalwilltoresolvetheproblemsoutlinedthroughoutthischapter.Whilethegovernmenthasarguedthattheseproblemsareinheritedfromthemismanagementofpreviousadministrations,othersarguethatcurrentfailurestemsfromthefailedpoliticalwillofformerPresidentHugoChávez(1999–2013)andcurrentPresidentNicolásMaduro’sadministrations(2013topresent)inthathavenotdoneenoughtoaddressandimproveconditions.Thereal-ityisthatVenezuela’spenitentiarypolicybeginningin1999doesnotdivergemuchfrompoliciesimplementedduringthepreviousfourdecades.Thestatehasalwaysstrivedtoimproveinfrastructureandper-sonnel,toreduceovercrowding,andtoimplementeducationalandem-ploymentprograms,withthemaingoalbeingtoreinserttheprisonerintosociety.Beginningwiththecreationofthemodernprisonsystemfollowingtheratificationoftheconstitutionin1961,Venezuelamaintainedrelative-lyhumaneprisonsuntiltheearly1990s.26Duringthe1990s,attemptsweremadetohumanizetheprisonsandsincethen,numerouspolicieshavebeencreated,butnotimplementedsuccessfully.Inhumanelivingconditionsandlevelsofviolencehavecontinuedtoincrease,leadingtofurtherdeterioration.27Onthejudicialside,in1998anewpenalprocesscodewasenacted(CodigoOrganicoProcesalPenal)thatexpandedthetwo-stageprocessintofourstages.Whereaspreviouslythepolicewouldcarryoutnearlyallofthesumario(summary)investigationandthiswouldthenbethebasisoftheplenario(fullsession),thenewcode:(1)designatedtheAttorneyGen-Prisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

122BrianFonsecaandPamelaPameláeral(AG)toconductthesummary,(2)basedonthisevidence,ajudgewoulddecidewhethertoproceedtotheplenarioandifsotowhichcourt,(3)followingthesummary,thecasewouldmovetoaseparate,unbiasedcourt,(4)andadditionally,insteadofonejudge,mosttrialswerenowdesignedtobeledby“mixedtribunals”(wherecitizensdeliberatewiththejudge).28Sincethen,ithasbeenreformedvarioustimes,toincludethereductionoreliminationofprisontimeforminorcrimesandtheeliminationofmixedtribunals.Stillundercriticism,manybelieveitistoblameforthewidespreadjudicialdelay.AccordingtotheMinistryofJusticeandInterior,between1999and2008,penitentiarypoliciesweremadeinaccordancewiththeconstitu-tion’smandatesofarticle272—establishinghumanrightsandrehabilita-tionguaranteesandadministrativedecentralization—andwithintheframeworkofelPlandeDesarrolloEconomicoySocialdelaNacion2001-2007yelPrimerPlanSocialista2007-2013(EconomicandSocialDevelopmentPlanoftheNation2001-2007andTheFirstSocialistPlan2007-2013).However,neitheroftheseplansmentionpenitentiaryreform.29SinceVenezuela’stransitiontoademocracyin1959,mostpoliciesdonotconstituteamajorchangefrompreviousadministrations.However,whatbeganwithChávezcanbecategorizedasadisorientedresponsewhenimplementingprogramstoimplementinordertogaincontrolovertheprisons:•PlanEstrategicodeGestionPenitenciaria1999-2000(StrategicPeniten-tiaryManagementPlan1999-2000):short-termplantoopenin-mates’participationtoproductivebehavior,suchassports,cultu-ral,andeducationalactivities.•PlanJusticia2000(JusticePlan2000):soughttoclassifyinmates,streamlinepenitentiarybenefits,andremodelvariousprisons.•PlanNacionaldeSeguridad2000(NationalSecurityPlan2000):soughttoremodelandequipnineestablishments,transfertheman-agementofjailstomunicipalgovernments,andcreatetheInstitutoAutonomoPenitenciario(AutonomousPenitentiaryInstitute).•PoliticaPenitenciaria2001-2003(PenitentiaryPolicy2001-2003):es-tablishedguidelinesforthemodernizationofthepenitentiarysys-tem,whichledtoaseriesofambitiousprojectsandprograms.Followingthedeclarationofa“prisonemergency”in2004,theVenezue-langovernmentconductedastudyoftheproblemsplaguingthepeniten-tiarysystemandactivateditsPrisonHumanizationProgramthefollow-ingyear,aimingtopromoteethical,moral,andsocialvaluesthroughaseriesofcomprehensiveinstitutionalandinfrastructureprojects.30Thefollowingyearsarenodifferent.ThecreationsoftheSuperiorPenitentiaryCouncil(2008),thePenitentiarySymphonicOrchestra(2007),andtheinaugurationofthePenitentiaryCenterofCoro(2008),amongothers,showcasetheabundanceofgenerous,ambitiousprojects.Prisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

Venezuela’sPrisonCrisis123Nevertheless,thesuccessesofallthesepolicieshavebeenlimited,sincetheinmates’overalllivingconditionshavenotimproved.Infact,thesimmeringcrisisduringthe2000sledCháveztocreateanewgovernmentministryinJune2011,MinisteriodelPoderPopularparaelServicioPenitenciario“HacialaMujeryElHombreNuevo”(TheMinistryofPenitentiaryAffairs“TowardtheNewWomanandMan”).ThiswasalsoinresponsetothestandoffbetweenprisoninmatesandguardsintheRodeoprison,wheretheinmatesheldgovernmentemployeeshostageearlierthesameyear.Sincethen,governmentforceshavebeeninterveninginprisonsacrossthecountrytoregaincontrolfromprisonmafias,andtodisarmand“humanize”theprisonpopulation.31Thenewministry’spoliciesseektopreventcorruption,renovateprisonfacilities,andreducethebacklogofprisoners’cases.Keepingwithtradition,this“humanist”approachtoreformingVenezuela’sprisonsystemispartlymadeupoftheintroduc-tionofsports,music,andculturalprogramsmeanttorehabilitatein-mates.Theministry’s2011–2013strategyconsistsoffivemajorcoursesofaction:thesocialtransformationofinmates;theguaranteeoftheprotec-tionofhumanrights;adequatehousingconditions;alternativestothecompletionofsentences;andpost-penitentiarysupport.32TheimportanceofhumanizingtheprisonsystemalsoisemphasizedbythecreationofaseparatesectionwithinTheMinistryofPenitentiaryAffairswebpagesolelyforthedescriptionofthe“NewPrisonModels.”Here,explicitappealsaremadetotheimportanceoftheinclusionoftheinmateinsocietythroughinfrastructurethatwillallowfornewactivitiesandcourses,adequatehealthcare,recreationalspaces,andindividualrooms,withkitchensandsanitaryfacilitiestoshare.AspartofthePrisonHumanizationProgram,thegovernmentwishestoreducethenegativeimpactresultingfromincarceration.33ThevisionforthenewVenezuelanPenitentiarysystemissummarizedasahumaneandmodernonethatassuresopportunitiesforrehabilitation,supportedbyadministrationandruledbyethicalvaluesandprinciples,withinaframeworkthatguaran-teesaspeedyandappropriatejudicialprocess.34Thegovernmenthasreportedonpositiveresultsfromthenewminis-tryandstrategicplan.AsofSeptember2013,accordingtotheministerofPenitentiaryAffairs,IrisValera,over100NationalGuardsoldiersand62ministryofficialswereunderinvestigationforarmstraffickingintopris-ons,anddeclaringthattherearenowprisonswheretherearenofire-arms.35OtherpositivedevelopmentsincluderesultsfrominitiativessuchasPlanCayapa,createdtoattackdelaysinthejudicialprocess,wherelastyearofficialsstated,“33,000prisonershavebeenhelpedbytheplan,andasaresult,thejudicialbackloghassignificantlydiminished.”36However,theseverelylimitedcapacityofthegovernmenttoeffectivelyimplementthesereformswillultimatelyleadtotheinabilitytoaddressVenezuela’sprisoncrisis.ThishasledinmatestotakemattersintotheirownhandsPrisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

124BrianFonsecaandPamelaPameláandattempttohumanizetheirspaces.Parties,concerts,anddiscothequeshavebeenreportedinseveralprisons,aprocessthathasevolvedfromtheearly2000s,stemmingfromthepolicythatmadeitlegalforvisitorstostayovertheweekend.37PERPETUATINGACULTUREOFCRIMINALITYANDVIOLENCELuciaDammertandLizaZuniga’sreporttitledPrisons:ProblemsandChal-lengesfortheAmericassuggestthatprisonsareasmuchadriverofin-creasedcriminalityastheyarepartofthesolution.38Infact,prisonsinVenezuelafunctionmoreasincubatorsforcriminalsthantheydoreha-bilitationcenters,andprisonsareacontributingfactortothehighlevelsofviolenceplaguingthecountry.Pretrialdetaineesandsentencedcrimi-nalsareoftenhousedtogether,asareviolentcriminalsandminoroffend-ers.Theinabilitytoseparatecriminalsforcesminoroffenderstoadapttohighlevelsofcriminalityandviolence.Oncereleased,minoroffendersreentersocietymoreviolentandconnectedthanwhentheywentintoprisonthankstotheexposuretoextensivecriminalactivityandtoviolentbehaviorwhileincarcerated.Makingmattersworse,CarlosNietoPalma’s,DirectoroftheVenezue-lanNGOUnaVentanaalaLibertad(WindowintoFreedom),researchindicatesthatinmates’familieshaveatendencytoformsmallcommu-nitiesincloseproximitytolovedonesservingtime.Thesecommunitiesareoftendrawnintoalifeofcrimeinordertosustainthefinancialbur-denrequiredtopaypranesinsideprisonsforservicesrenderedtotheirlovedones.Primaryactivitiesincludearmedrobberyandsecuestroexpress(expresskidnappings).Someexpertsarguethatprisonsactassafehavensforcriminals.39Criminalgroupsandcorruptedofficialsrelyonprisonstomanageandhideactivitiesfrompublicview.Gangsinprisonareoftengivenlatitudebycorruptauthoritiestoengageinillicitactivitiesinsideandoutsideofprisons;thelatterisdoneofteninpartnershipwithcriminalgroupsout-sideofprisons.Authoritiesareprotectedaswellbecauseinmates/crimi-nalswillnotorcannotreportthemtoauthorities.CONCLUSION:THELONGROADAHEADVenezuelanprisonsareillustrativeofthegeneraldecayofVenezuelaninstitutions,anditisunlikelythatthingswillchangeinthenearfuture.DespitetheVenezuelanGovernment’sweakattemptstoenactprisonre-formoverthelastdecade,noneofthereformshavebeeneffectiveinaddressingthefundamentalissuesfacingthecountry’sprisons.Statere-sources,notjustpoliticallymotivatedrhetoric,mustbededicatedtore-versetheseverestateofneglectofprisonsthroughoutthecountry.Prisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

Venezuela’sPrisonCrisis125Newfacilitiesandimprovementstoexistingfacilitiesmustbemadetoaccommodatetheexistingprisonpopulation.Thestatemustexerciseenoughforcetoregainphysicalcontrolovertheinmatepopulationandsubsequentlyprovideadequateandsufficientpersonneltomaintaincon-trolinsidetheprisons.Oncecontrolisestablishedandmaintained,pris-onsmustimplementsubstantiveemploymentandrehabilitationpro-gramstokeepinmatesengagedandonapathtoreintegrationintosoci-ety.CarlosNietoPalmaarguesthatthemostdetrimentalfactoraffectingtheconditionoftheprisonsisthefactthatinmatesdonothaveanyformalauthority,sanctionedroles,orresponsibilitiesinsideprisonsorprogramstooccupytheirtime.40Currently,inmatessufferfromexces-siveleisuretime,affordingspaceforillicittrafficking,alcoholanddrugabuse,andviolence.Additionally,improvingprisonsinVenezuelarequiresamixofeffec-tivepenitentiaryandjudiciaryreformstoprocesscriminals,classifyandseparateinmates,andenforcetheruleoflawinordertocrackdownoncorruptionandimpunity.Thelatter,corruptionandimpunityiscentraltoeffectivelyaddressingtheprisoncrisis.UnlikeotherLatinAmericancountries,resolvingVenezuela’spenitentiarycrisisdoesnotrestonde-criminalizationofcertaincrimes,suchasdruglegalization.Accordingtoofficialnumbers,about50percentofarrestsfrom2000to2003(norecordsavailableafterthatyear)involvedcrimesagainstproperty,suchastheft,withcrimesinvolvingnarcoticsonlymakingupabout1percent.41ThestatemustreducecorruptionamongtheNationalGuard,prisonauthor-ities,andadministrativestaff—aswellaspublicofficials.Decentralizingmanagementaccordingtoarticle272oftheconstitution—whichestab-lishesthestates,notthefederalgovernmentastheultimateauthoritiesfortheirrespectivepenitentiarysystems—isnecessary,alongwithareas-sessmentoftheinmateprocessingandstructureoftrials.Prisonsplayanimportantroleinfacilitatingorganizedcrimeandperpetuatingacultureofcriminality,asillustratedinthecountry’shighlevelsofviolence.TheVenezuelangovernmentmustretakecontrolofthecountry’sprisons,althoughitislikelythatthestatedoesnotcurrentlyhavethecapacitytoreformprisonswiththecurrentlevelsofcorruptionpenetratingeveryaspectofgovernment.Unlessaddressed,prisonswilllikelyremainanimportantsourceofinsecurityandaddtothemanyconsiderationsthreateningthecountry’sstability.NOTES1.“FormerMissVenezuela,Ex-HusbandShotDeadbyRobbers”AssociatedPress,January8,2014.2.TheJusticeinMexicoProject,“Reporton50MostViolentCitiesWorldwideIncludesNineMexicanCities,”January24,2014.Thelinktothisreportishttp://Prisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

126BrianFonsecaandPamelaPamelájusticeinmexico.org/2014/01/24/report-on-50-most-violent-cities-worldwide-includes-nine-mexican-cities/.3.“AJourneyintoHell;PrisonsinLatinAmerica”TheEconomist,September22,2012.4.LuciaDammertandLizaZuniga.“Prisons:ProblemsandChallengesfortheAmericas”FLACOChile,January2009.5.LuidigOchoa,“CarceloInfierno,”October27,2011.Thelinktothevideoishttp://youtu.be/rhmM_mqKBbk.6.LauraWefferCifuentes,“LuidigOchoanoesComiquita,”UlitmasNoticias,Oc-tober28,2012.7.FormoreonelObservatorioVenezolanodePrisiones,seehttp://www.ovprisiones.org/8.APosadaandMDíaz-Tremarias,“LascárcelesypoblaciónreclusaenVenezue-la,”RevEspSanidPenit2008;10:22–27,esp,33.9.“Thefirthcircleofhell,”TheEconomist,July14,201110.http://www.ovprisiones.org/.11.HumbertoPrado,“LosDerechosHumanosyDebidoProcesodelasPersonasPrivadasdeLibertad”ObservatarioVenezolanodePrisiones,2010.12.InterviewswithexpertsinVenezuelathataskedtoremainanonymousinFebru-ary2014.13.“Conozcaelreinodelos‘pranes,’”UltimasNoticias,July4,2011.14.Molina,T.“PENALES:El“pran”ysuejércitodepeones.”ElUniversal,June17,2011.15.Ibid.16.“ESPECIAL:Conozcacuántodinerogeneraunacárcelvenezolanaalaño,”Di-arioRepublica,April24,2013.17.R.Briceño-Leon(March2014).Phoneinterviewbyauthors.Caracas,VenezuelaandMiami,FL,USA.18.“CicpcabatióaprandeSabanetaquesalióapasear.”UltimasNoticias,September19,2013.http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/sucesos/cicpc-abatio-a-pran-de-sabaneta-que-salio-a-pasear.aspx(accessedMarch6,2014).19.ThabataMolina,“PENALES:El“pran”ysuejércitodepeones.”ElUniversal,June17,2011.20.“Incautandineroydrogaencárcelvenezolanadondesiguemotín.”LaRepubli-ca,Junee29,2011.http://www.larepublica.ec/blog/internacional/2011/06/27/incautan-dinero-y-droga-en-carcel-venezolana-donde-sigue-motin/(accessedMarch6,2014).21.D.Mizrahi,“Venezuela:laprisión-resort,unparaísoparalosdelincuentes.”LascárcelesenAméricaLatina,auténticasescuelasdeldelito,November19,2013.http://www.infobae.com/2013/11/17/1524235-las-carceles-america-latina-autenticas-escuelas-del-delito(accessedMarch15,2014).22.Roger,Noriega,“Hezbollah’sstrategicshift:Aglobalterroristthreat.”TestimonybeforetheHouseCommitteeonForeignAffairs,SubcommitteeonTerrorism,Nonproliferation,andTrade,March20,2013.Retrievedfromhttp://www.aei.org/speech/foreign-and-de-fense-policy/regional/middle-east-and-north-africa/hezbollahs-strategic-shift-a-global-terrorist-threat/23.GirishGupta“PrisonuprisingcontinuesinVenezuela.”GlobalPost,June22,2011.http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/venezuela/110622/prison-uprising-venezuela-riot(accessedMarch6,2014).24.“Cárcelvenezolana:incautaron105armasy22.767municiones.”Infobae,Sep-tember30,2013.http://www.infobae.com/2013/09/30/1512447-carcel-venezolana-in-cautaron-105-armas-y-22767-municiones(accessedMarch6,2014).25.InterviewswithexpertsinVenezuelathataskedtoremainanonymousinFebru-ary2014.26.MarkUngar,“PrisonMayhem.”NACLAReportontheAmericas.Vol.30,no.2.37(January1996).Prisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

Venezuela’sPrisonCrisis12727.MitchRoth,PrisonsandPrisonSystems:AGlobalEncyclopedia.(Westport,CT:Greenwood,2005),286–287.28.MarkUngar,“PrisonsandPoliticsinContemporaryLatinAmerica.”HumanRightsQuarterly.Vol25,4(2003):909–934.29.MGMorais,“SituacionactualdelosderechoshumanosenlascarcelesdeVene-zuela.”October2009.ObservatorioVenezolanodePrisionesandInstitutoLatinoamer-icanodeInvestigacionesSociales.30.EmbassyoftheBolivarianRepublicofVenezuelatotheUKandIreland.(n.d.).Factsheet:TheHumanisationofVenezuelanPrisons.Retrievedfromhttp://embave-nez.co.uk/sites/embavenez.co.uk/files/factsheets/fs_Humanisation_Venezuelan_Prisons.pdf.31.ChrisCarlson,“MassacreinVenezuelanprisonreignitescriticismofprisonsys-tem.”VenezuelaAnalysis.com.January28,2013.Retrievedfromhttp://venezuelanaly-sis.com/news/7651.32.MinisteriodelPoderPopularparaelServicioPenitenciario,(2011).Planestratég-icodelsistemapenitenciariovenezolano2011-2013.Retrievedfromwebsite:http://www.ciudadccs.info/wp-content/uploads/PLAN_DEL_SISTEMA_PENITENCIARIO_230811_.pdf.33.MinisteriodelPoderPopularparaelServicioPenitenciario.(n.d.).Nuevomodelodeprisiones.Retrievedfromhttp://www.fonep.gob.ve/institucion.php?ids=14.34.Ibid.35.EwanRobertson,“Venezuelangovernmentevacuatesprisonfollowingdeadlyinmateclash.”VenezuelaAnalysis.com.September20,2013.Retrievedfromhttp://vene-zuelanalysis.com/news/1003736.Ibid.37.“ReosdelacárceldeMargaritainaugurarondiscoteca.”ElUniversal.March30,2013.Retrievedfromhttp://www.eluniversal.com/sucesos/130330/reos-de-la-carcel-de-margarita-inauguraron-discoteca38.LuciaDammertandLizaZuniga.“Prisons:ProblemsandChallengesfortheAmericas”FLACOChile,January200939.InterviewswithexpertsinVenezuelathataskedtoremainanonymousinFebru-ary2014.40.C.NietoPalma(2014,February).In-personinterviewbyauthors.Caracas,Vene-zuela.41.“Detencionesefectuadas,segúntipodedelito,”Venescopio,http://www.venescopio.org.ve/estadisticasbasicasdevenezuela/detenciones-efectuadas-segun-tipo-de-delito.Prisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uestepr-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2032735.Created from uestepr-ebooks on 2023-08-09 16:29:41.Copyright © 2015. Lexington Books/Fortress Academic. All rights reserved.

Prisons in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century : A Human Dumping Ground, edited by Jonathan D. Rosen, and Marten W. Brienen, Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcen

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