Santa Fe reports rising sexual offense rates and cadet abuse charges

The Santa Fe prison system is experiencing shifts in inmate demographics and facing internal misconduct investigations. Lucía Masneri, Secretary of Penitentiary Affairs, reported that sexual offenders now comprise approximately 20% of the province's 12,000 inmates, a segment showing significant growth. This group typically consists of individuals over 30 with higher education levels compared to historical profiles. Additionally, while men make up 95% of the population, female incarceration has risen from 3% to 5% over the last decade, reaching 12% in drug trafficking cases.

Separately, seven cadets from the Santa Fe Penitentiary School have been formally charged with aggravated sexual abuse and minor injuries. Prosecutor Jorgelina Moser Ferro stated the attack on a 19-year-old victim in a locker room was not an isolated incident but a habitual practice. The province has issued a decree to permanently remove the suspects from their training program, and a hearing for preventive detention is scheduled.