Added to the problem of not finding the right profiles to appoint the directors of the 23 prisons, because no one is willing to submit to the risks involved, is the lack of funds to hire professionals, Meanwhile, it is the guards themselves who are in charge of the prisons.
Threats from mafias are one of the main reasons why no professional with academic degrees wants to run a prison, according to what former directors of the General Directorate of Prisons have stated. Among the latest criminal acts once morest prison authorities is the crime of Edwin David Gonzáles, director of the Matamoros prison, zone 1, case for which there are no arrested people.
Last January, the Minister of the Interior, Francisco Jimenez, recognized that one of the main problems that prevents regaining control of the prisons is the corruption in which the guards themselves fall, who until now hold the positions of director of each one. of prisons.
The former director of prisons, Eddy Morales, has reiterated that the guards receive sums of money in exchange for allowing the entry of prohibited objects. They hold these positions for a year and then another of the guards who guard the prison takes over, although they do not have an additional income, which encourages them to engage in illicit acts.
Given this situation, Jiménez stated that a process was begun to hire new directors with profiles of lawyers and other related careers, as stipulated by the prison regulations.
Definanced
Sergio Samuel Humberto Vela López, General Director of the Penitentiary System, stated that until now they have not been able to fill these positions because there is no adequate budget.
“We still continue with the same scheme, what we are doing are rotations. The places are created, but there is no budget allocated for them, which is what we are working on,” he stated.
Regarding how much budget they need to pay for the position of directors, Vela López said that at the time of the consultation he did not have the data and that he would provide the information later.
Former directors and sources of the Penitentiary System affirm that leaving the prison guards in charge of the prisons means continuing the chain of corruption and collusion with the inmates, who are willing to pay large sums of money in exchange for entering telephone numbers to extort and have other comforts in their cells.
At the moment, only two of the country’s 23 prisons have directors who meet the requirements established by that agency.stated the head of the interior portfolio.
Requirements
Among the main requirements required to run a prison center are having a law degree or another degree related to Criminology, as well as knowledge in penitentiary legislation, report writing, computing, and so on.show honesty and moral attitudes.
Those who have served as directors of the Penitentiary System have stated that the lack of security guarantees and Working conditions are the main factors why no person wants to be a prison director.
The former officials have said that of regarding 20 candidates who attend the calls, there are usually only five left, who will last six months in the position on average, when they realize the risks that the position entails and when they are threatened by the mafias that operate through the internals of the prisons.
Corinne Dedik, an analyst at the National Economic Research Center (Cien), and who has investigated the prison system in Guatemala, explains that it has always been difficult to find people who want to occupy management positions, and that is the reason why since 2015 , the guards occupy the addresses of the centers.
Historical problem
Federico Reyes, independent consultant on security issues, affirms that the The budgetary problem of the Penitentiary System has been going on for two governments, due to the lack of will to invest in this issue.
“This means that the offer does not meet the expectations of the position offered and, above all, the responsibility it incurs,” says Reyes.
The expert maintains that legal training is important, although not exclusive, since the formation of an advisory team of different specialties that propose solutions to old problems is not new and the expected results have not been achieved.
“The reengineering of the Penitentiary System has always been a pending issue, which is a great challenge for any government, especially the current one. academic training and reintegration and rehabilitation points”, he points out.
Without results
Despite actions taken by previous governments to regain control of prisons, Little is known regarding the progress made in complying with regulations.
In September 2006, the Penitentiary Regime Law was approved, the first to regulate penitentiary matters as a whole. This law came into effect on April 7, 2007.
The regulations, among other aspects, stipulate the social rehabilitation of prisoners and their reintegration into society. It also establishes the prison career and the classification of inmates in minimum, medium and maximum security prisons.. However, none of the points mentioned have been fulfilled.
In 2014, a public policy on penitentiary matters was also developed, in which international experts participated and working groups made up of different sectors of society were established. It promised an implementation period of 10 years, between 2014 and 2024.
For this year the penitentiary system has assigned a budget of Q647 million.
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