Mato Grosso prison system expands inmate work program and tightens visitation rules

In Mato Grosso, Brazil, the state prison system introduced a new inmate sewing workshop at the Gameleira II penitentiary. Inmates produce blankets, surgical gowns and other hospital supplies for Hospital São Julião, delivering more than 2,600 items in the first five months of 2026, including 200 blankets for patients. The program provides vocational training, reduces prison costs, and offers sentence remission for participants.

Simultaneously, the Mato Grosso Secretariat of Justice issued Portaria 40/2026, establishing stricter criteria for intimate visits in state penitentiaries. The regulation bans such visits for individuals convicted of severe offenses such as femicide and sexual violence, limits disciplinary regimes to social visits only, and permits intimate visits in regular cells only under strict supervision. The measures aim to balance inmate rights with security and public safety concerns.