In the Dominican Republic, prisoners known as “frog men” are forced to sleep on prison floors, often near overflowing toilets or makeshift latrines. Despite government promises for reform, overcrowding in these facilities is at crisis levels, sometimes exceeding capacity by sevenfold. Many inmates have not been formally charged, leading activists to highlight the inhumane conditions and lack of medical care within these walls.
Rodolfo Valentín Santos, head of the National Public Defense Office, laments that over 60% of the roughly 26,000 inmates are held in pretrial detention without charges. This widespread practice, intended by some to safeguard society and give authorities time to gather evidence, often leaves individuals languishing in jail for decades without conviction.
The situation in La Victoria, the oldest and most overcrowded prison built for 2,100 but housing over 7,000, underscores the systemic issues. Director of Prisons Roberto Santana, appointed to oversee prison reforms, acknowledges the state of all Dominican prisons, with past attempts at building new facilities yielding little improvement. Meanwhile, President Luis Abinader has earmarked recovered corruption funds for constructing new prisons.
Human rights reports continue to warn that the penitentiary system is nearing collapse, highlighting deficits in basic amenities and healthcare. Approximately 5,000 prisoners suffer from various health issues but receive minimal care. The Commission on Human Rights has called for closing several prisons to address these dire conditions.
Both Santana and Valentín point to government corruption as a significant reform barrier, accusing prison authorities of illicit profiteering. Allegations include inmates being held even after court-ordered releases due to stalled paperwork or unpaid government fines, compounding the overcrowding crisis.
The Dominican Republic’s prison system is in dire need of effective reforms to address its chronic overcrowding and humanitarian concerns.
