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Dominican Republic prison system conditions

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2026-10-22 19:11 UTC → 2026-10-23 15:34 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The National Office of Public Defense (ONDP) released its 2025 Report on Detention and Prison Conditions in the Dominican Republic, detailing systemic failures within the penitentiary system. A primary issue is the high rate of preventive detention, which accounts for 64.57% of the incarcerated population, meaning 15,025 individuals are held without a definitive sentence. ONDP Director Rodolfo Valentín Santos emphasized that pre-trial detention should be an exceptional measure rather than the standard rule. The system is currently operating at 142.26% capacity, exceeding its installed limit by 6,913 inmates, with a total of 23,270 inmates held in facilities designed for only 16,357. This represents an overcrowding rate of over 42 percent. Of the 45 penitentiaries examined, 24 were found to be operating beyond their capacity. Inspections of juvenile centers, including Ciudad del Niño in Santo Domingo, revealed substandard living conditions such as damp cells, unsanitary bathrooms, and inadequate access to water, electricity, and lighting. Additionally, the report noted that families in some facilities, such as those in Santiago, are required to personally purchase psychiatric medications for inmates due to a lack of institutional supply. ~~Further details from the report indicate that inmates~~ Inmates face inadequate nutrition and insufficient medical care, with many forced to sleep on floors, in hallways, or in improvised structures known as ‘goletas.’ Healthcare deficiencies include shortages of medical staff, essential medicines, and basic ~~equipment such as glucometers, oximeters, and nebulizers.~~ equipment. Mental health services are also severely ~~limited;~~ limited, with some facilities reportedly ~~have~~ having only a single psychologist to serve the entire ~~inmate~~ population. Security vulnerabilities were identified in facilities such as San Felipe, Najayo, and Puerto Plata, where infrastructure flaws reportedly allow the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and cell ~~phones via packages thrown from the outside.~~ phones.

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