Manos de hombre realizando trabajos de albañilería.

PENITENTIARY SYSTEM

THE CHALLENGE

The penitentiary situation in our region is characterized by high incarceration rates, overcrowding, a large number of detainees in pretrial detention, and poor prison conditions. The situation is further exacerbated by the shortage of penitentiary staff and insufficient prison security.

The credibility of any penitentiary system is based on its ability to securely maintain custody of inmates, which means preventing escapes, as well as violence or harm within the prison facility.

Good prison management, decent penitentiary conditions, and a professional and positive interaction between penitentiary staff and inmates reduce the risk of escapes, misconduct, and inappropriate external communications, as well as the risk of prisons becoming places where violence and organized crime can thrive.

WHAT WE DO

Personal de UNODC viendo taller de costura en el centro penitenciario femenino en Panamá.

UNODC's mandate in the area of criminal justice reform establishes that we can provide technical assistance on issues related to the effective and proper management of penitentiary facilities; the implementation of United Nations Standards and Norms on Criminal Justice; and the application of the Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.
Penitentiary reforms should be designed based on a "humanitarian model" rooted in international and regional standards aimed at providing the incarcerated population with the necessary tools to face the challenge of social reintegration. The adopted strategy is also based on the United Nations model of rights and obligations.
UNODC’s experience in other countries has shown that unless the issue of prison overcrowding is effectively addressed, any other activities related to penitentiary reform will not have a significant impact.

This concept remains the cornerstone of UNODC ROPAN's strategic approach. The programs implemented to address this issue adopt a comprehensive approach developed in stages, involving actions at different levels. When combined, these efforts contribute to achieving a modern, effective, and efficient penitentiary system that meets international standards for health, security, and management.

At the same time, this approach aims not only to ensure that the country’s capacity to adopt the programs is not overloaded but also to ensure that the overall strategy for penitentiary reform is sustainable and that national counterparts feel engaged with it.

These actions are carried out in high-priority areas that are fundamental for establishing the necessary groundwork for penitentiary reform, as well as for achieving tangible results. This approach fosters trust and cooperation through consensus-building and generates the momentum needed for future reforms.

Personal de prisiones en Panamá participando de taller ofrecido por UNODC.

RESOURCES

Penitentiary Reform and Alternatives to Incarceration
Handbook of Basic Principles and Promising Practices on Alternatives to Incarceration English, French, Spanish, Turkish
Handbook for Prison Administrator. English, Spanish (Unofficial traslation), French.
Handbook on Managing Prisoner Recordss. Arabic, English, Spanish (Unofficial translation), French.
Handbook on Inmates with Special Needs Arabic, English, Spanish, Turkish
Handbook on Women and Incarceration (2nd Edition) English, Arabic, Spanish
raining Program on Women and Incarceration Version 1.0, English, Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, Macedonian, Montenegrin, Serbian, Spanish, French.

Bangkok Rules: United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders with their Commentary: English, French, Spanish
Handbook on Strategies to Reduce Prison Overcrowding: English, Arabic, Indonesian , Spanish, French
Introductory Handbook on the Prevention of Recidivism and the Social Reintegration of Offenders: English, French, Spanish.
Checklist for the Assessment of Prisons in Post-Conflict Situations: English
Handbook on Dynamic Security and Prison Intelligence: English, French, Arabic, Spanish.
Handbook on the Management of High-Risk Prisoners: English, Arabic
Brochure on the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Mandela Rules) English, Spanish, Russian
Handbook on the Management of Violent Extremist Prisoners and the Prevention of Radicalization to Violence in Prisons: English, Arabic, French, Russian
Summary of Key Principles and Recommendations from the Manual for the Management of Violent Extremist Inmates: English, Arabic, French, Russian, Spanish
Assessment of Compliance with the Nelson Mandela Rules: Checklist for Internal Inspection Mechanisms: English, Spanish, Arabic, French, Russian
UNODC Work Plan for the Development of Rehabilitation Programs in Prisons English
Manual on Anti-Corruption Measures in Prisons English