penal system

Expansion almost ready

An expansion to La Joya prison that will house 320 inmates is expected to be ready in two months.

The new facility is part of a plan by officials to separate convicts from inmates awaiting trial.

David Mesa/LA PRENSA

growing:Panama’s prison population has grown to more than 10,000, which has created a serious overcrowding problem. An expansion at La Joya should provide some relief for inmates.1055211

Luis Gordon, director of Panama's prison system, has announced that the process to select the 320 prisoners who will be transferred to a new wing at La Joya Prison has already started.

The facility is expected to be completed in about two months. It is expected to help the system deal with its severe overcrowding problem, which has prompted criticism from numerous human rights organizations.

The new facility will be reserved for first-time offenders who were convicted of non-violent offenses. The director said the goal is to eventually separate the country's prison population into two groups. Those awaiting trial will be housed at La Joyita, while those who have been convicted will be housed at La Joya.

Currently, Gordon said, the inmate population is mixed, and those awaiting trial are being housed with people who have already been convicted.

A total of 50 percent of the country's prison population, or about 5,300 inmates, are being held at either La Joya or La Joyita.

The opening of the new wing at La Joya will mean that the prison will no longer have to house inmates in areas that were built as canteens. These areas are nicknamed “Guantanamo” by inmates and guards.

Gordon said the 320 additional beds will not solve the system's overcrowding problem, but it is an important first step. There are also plans to expand prisons in Colón, Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro.

The expansion at La Joya cost $1.6 million, which was donated by the Taiwan government. The expansion was supposed to be finished in June, but delays pushed the completion date back to the end of August or early September.

The minimum security facility has 68 cells, some of which house two prisoners and some of which are designed for five inmates. The area will be monitored by 24 security cameras that will be located throughout the two-level facility.

It also includes meeting rooms, areas for social workers and attorneys and two rooms for conjugal visits.

Each cell will have its own bathroom and shower, a luxury for the inmates.

In addition to the expansion projects, officials are also seeking a major overhaul of all the country’s prisons. This project, which would cost millions of dollars, seeks to replace the current prisons, which are converted military barracks, with modern facilities. Prison officials say the overhaul would address many of the problems the system now faces, including overcrowding and frequent escapes.