33
methods and even using their own family members as a vehicle for transmitting or carrying
out such orders.
2.
Prison violence, causes and preventive measures
98.
The high indices of prison violence represent one of the main problems
facing prisons in the region. This reality, as mentioned earlier has been repeatedly
observed with concern by the General Assembly of the OAS. 114
99.
In this respect, one of the points of the questionnaire sent to the member
States on occasion of this report referred to the indices of prison violence, including the
number of deaths, during the last five years. The official information provided by the States
that sent their responses is as follows:
Argentina
Bahamas
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
From 2006 to 2009, there were 201 deaths in units of the Federal
Penitentiary Service, 26 of which are said to have resulted from acts of
violence.
In 2008 and 2009, there were 140 acts of violence among inmates (76
described as “assault” and 64 as “personal violence”) and 7 acts of
violence by inmates directed against security agents (4 described as
“assault” and 3 as “personal violence”). It is noted that on January 17,
2006, there was an escape attempt in which one guard and one inmate
lost their lives, and two other security agents were wounded.
From 2005 to May 2010 a total of 85 persons died in prisons (no further
details provided).
From 2005 to 2009 there were in all 873 assaults among inmates; 461
brawls; 94 fires/attempts; 285 disorders; 236 personal assaults; and 29
sexual assaults on inmates.
In addition, in that same period 203 inmates died in brawls/assaults, and 5
in events related to escapes.
The figures provided by the State with respect to acts of violence that
occurred in the 2005‐2009 period are as follows:
2005: 30 violent deaths /752 injuries (population 69,365 inmates)
2006: 13 violent deaths /962 injuries (population 62,906 inmates)
2007: 14 violent deaths /811 injuries (population 61,543 inmates)
2008: 29 violent deaths /930 injuries (population 67,812 inmates)
2009: 27 violent deaths /969 injuries (population 74,277 inmates)
Total: 113 violent deaths in that 5‐year period.
From 2005 to 2009 the following critical incidents occurred at the Centers
for Institutional Attention of the Penitentiary System: 555 assaults; 71
brawls; 1 riot; 25 homicides; 2 rapes; 4 cases of material damage; 8 cases
of assaults of staff; 2 cases of assault against a visitor in conjugal visit; and
one rape of a visitor on conjugal visit.
114
OAS, General Assembly Resolution, AG/RES. 2510 (XXXIX‐O/09), adopted on June 4, 2009; OAS,
General Assembly Resolution, AG/RES. 2403 (XXXVIII‐O/08), adopted on June 13, 2008; OAS, General Assembly
Resolution, AG/RES. 2283 (XXXVII‐O/07), adopted on June 5, 2007; and OAS, General Assembly Resolution,
AG/RES. 2233 (XXXVI‐O/06), adopted on June 6, 2006.
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