- Overcrowding in Dominican Republic prisons has persisted for decades despite government efforts to reform the system. To address overcrowding and improve conditions, the government plans to build 25 new prisons by 2028.
- A 2024 fire at La Victoria killed 11 inmates. It prompted the president to create a commission to reform the prison system.
- Advocates say 60% of the prison population is still in pretrial detention, with some inmates waiting years for trial.
Full Story
The Dominican Republic has long struggled with overcrowded prisons. Despite promises from government officials to reform the system, issues persist.
The country currently operates 19 traditional prisons and 22 correctional rehabilitation centers. However, overcrowding and unsanitary conditions continue to plague older facilities.
Dominican Republic prisons remain overcrowded
La Victoria, the oldest and largest prison in the Dominican Republic, is designed to house just 2,100 inmates but holds more than 7,000. In 2024, a fire at the facility killed 11 inmates, prompting President Luis Abinader to establish a commission to address the prison system’s deficiencies.
Inmates have reported ongoing issues, including abuse, drug trafficking and extortion in the country’s older prisons.
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Pretrial detainees face long wait times and legal delays
Reports indicate 60% of the prison population in the Dominican Republic is still in the pretrial phase, with some inmates remaining incarcerated for years before their trial begins. The most recent U.S. State Department report revealed that prison authorities often failed to bring detainees to court, resulting in frequent trial delays.
The director of the country’s National Public Defense Office told The Associated Press that some inmates have waited as long as two decades before being found guilty of a crime.
Additionally, unauthorized arrests, particularly of individuals suspected to be undocumented Haitian migrants, remain a significant issue.
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What happens next?
Officials are working to address these problems, with plans to build at least 25 new prisons by 2028 to help alleviate overcrowding and improve overall conditions. The facilities are expected to house a total of 20,000 inmates.
[Lauren Taylor]
THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HAS STRUGGLED WITH OVERCROWDED PRISONS FOR DECADES.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE VOWED TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO RECONSTRUCT THE SYSTEM AND PROTECT INMATES’ RIGHTS BUT PROBLEMS STILL PERSIST.
THE D-R HAS 19 TRADITIONAL PRISONS AND 22 OTHERS KNOWN AS CORRECTIONAL REHABILITATION CENTERS, WHICH ARE THE NEW STANDARD MODEL FOR THE COUNTRY.
THE NATIONAL OFFICE OF PUBLIC DEFENSE SAYS THAT, DESPITE THE TRANSITION, OVERCROWDING AND UNSANITARY CONDITIONS PERSIST IN OLD FACILITIES.
LA VICTORIA, THE OLDEST AND LARGEST PRISON IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, IS OVERCROWDED WITH MORE THAN 7,000 INMATES—DESIGNED TO HOUSE JUST 2,100.
A 2024 FIRE AT THE FACILITY KILLED 11 INMATES, PROMPTING THE COUNTRY’S PRESIDENT TO ESTABLISH A COMMISSION DEDICATED TO REFORMING THE DOMINICAN PRISON SYSTEM.
IN A 2023 U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, THE MOST RECENT DATA AVAILABLE SHOWS INMATES HAVE REPORTED ABUSE, DRUG TRAFFICKING, EXTORTION AND HARASSMENT WHILE INCARCERATED IN THE OLD PRISONS.
THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION STATES THAT EXTREME OVERCROWDING HAS RESTRICTED ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE, WITH MANY INMATES WAITING DAYS TO RECEIVE TREATMENT.
ADVOCATES ALSO SAY 60% OF THE PRISON POPULATION HASN’T BEEN CONVICTED YET AND ARE STILL IN THE PRETRIAL PHASE, WHILE OTHERS REMAIN IN CUSTODY WITHOUT CHARGES.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE COUNTRY’S NATIONAL PUBLIC DEFENSE OFFICE TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THAT SOME INMATES HAVE WAITED AS LONG AS 20 YEARS IN PRISON BEFORE BEING FOUND GUILTY OF A CRIME.
THE CONSTITUTION PROHIBITS RANDOM ARRESTS AND LETS PEOPLE CHALLENGE THEIR ARREST IN COURT.
HOWEVER, UNAUTHORIZED ARRESTS, PARTICULARLY OF PEOPLE SUSPECTED TO BE UNDOCUMENTED HAITIAN MIGRANTS, REMAINED A PROBLEM, WITH AUTHORITIES OFTEN DETAINING THEM WITHOUT PROBABLE CAUSE OR A COURT ORDER.
THE REPORT ALSO DETAILS PRISON AUTHORITIES FAILED TO BRING DETAINEES TO COURT, CAUSING TRIAL DELAYS.
INMATES’ COURT DATES WERE POSTPONED DUE TO LACK OF TRANSPORTATION, AND IN SOME CASES, WITNESSES OR LAWYERS WEREN’T CALLED TO APPEAR.
OFFICIALS SAY KEEPING THEM BEHIND BARS PROTECTS THE COMMUNITY, ALLOWING LAW ENFORCEMENT TIME TO BUILD A CASE AND GATHER EVIDENCE.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE EXPECTED TO BUILD AT LEAST 25 NEW PRISONS TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE OVERCROWDING BY 2028.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR
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