The News

CNDH Presents Report on Mexican Prisons

The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) presented to the Senate the 2015 National Prison Supervision Diagnosis, which notes that the best rated prison is the “Dr. Guillermo Colín Sánchez” Model Prison, located in the State of Mexico, which scored 8.50 points in the document. The worst rated prison was the Bahía de Banderas municipal public jail, located in Nayarit, which scored 3.79 points.

The CNDH visited 130 Social Readaptation Centers (Ceresos) during 2015, where major deficiencies were detected. Among those with the highest incidence are problems with the classification of those accused and those sentenced, overcrowding, and a lack of job activities and training for prisoners. Other major shortcomings faced by prisons are the lack of security and custody personnel and the prevention and resolution of violent incidents such as brawls, injuries, escapes, homicides and riots.

The CNDH visited 130 Social Readaptation Centers (Ceresos) during 2015. Photo: Notimex

The majority of Ceresos visited do not have programs for addiction prevention and voluntary detoxification, and deficiencies in material and hygiene conditions in bedrooms, kitchens and dining areas.

Overcrowding is a constant problem, and it creates health and safety issues for the inmates, as well as a lack of educational, labor and sport activities for all. Some prisons were found to house 30 inmates in rooms designed for four people.

According to the report, the best rated prisons are located in the state of Guanajuato, scoring an average of 8.02 points, followed by those of Aguascalientes, with 7.75 points and those of Baja California, which scored an average of 7.42 points.

The worst rated prisons are located in the state of Nayarit, scoring an average of 4.11 points, followed by those of Quintana Roo, with 4.43 points and those of Guerrero, with 4.99 points on average.

The majority of Ceresos visited do not have programs for addiction prevention and voluntary detoxification. Photo: Notimex