Jails and Prisons in the DR

MotorCity Mike · Apr 9, 2004

I am looking for information regarding the jails and prisons in the Dominican Republic. The information I am seeking for my research relates to the treatment of people that have been arrested and/or jailed for short term sentences to life in prison. I would also like to know the conditions of jail/prison facilities in the DR (holding cells, short and long term detention cells, etc.) Information regarding cleanliness, food, recreation, visitation, prisoner work assignments, etc. is appreciated.

If you have any personal experience with the jail/prison system or know of anyone that has, please respond.

Thanks in Advance

MotorCity Mike

Tony C · Apr 10, 2004

MotorCity Mike said:
I am looking for information regarding the jails and prisons in the Dominican Republic. The information I am seeking for my research relates to the treatment of people that have been arrested and/or jailed for short term sentences to life in prison. I would also like to know the conditions of jail/prison facilities in the DR (holding cells, short and long term detention cells, etc.) Information regarding cleanliness, food, recreation, visitation, prisoner work assignments, etc. is appreciated.

If you have any personal experience with the jail/prison system or know of anyone that has, please respond.

Thanks in Advance

MotorCity Mike

Are you serious? It is the Dominican Republic. How do you think the Prisons are?
I have no clue what kind of reasearch you are doing but if it is anything of importance then asking for testimonials from an internet message board is hardly professional or ethical. Unless you work for the N.Y. Times I suggest you take this "Research" more seriously.

Lambada · Apr 10, 2004

MotorCity Mike

I visited Stuart Ratner for 14 months in Fort Aleza, Puerto Plata, 4 years ago, so got to know the system there quite well. Have had more recent contact because of a young Englishwoman jailed there (see thread under General). I had a point of comparison, having been a Probation Officer in UK in 1960's. Result? NO comparison!!! Let me know purpose of your research, & I'll be happy to share my experiences. Be advised I know ONE prison here, not sure how representative that one is of the others.

Larry · Apr 10, 2004

Why dont you take a trip down to the DR and take a collar yourself? Then you will be able to give a first hand experience of the prison system. I hate when I see people write a "research paper" based on third hand experience. It's like a white liberal describing the black mans plight or the "glass ceiling" he always mysteriously seems to hit. Doesn't seem authentic to me. How can you expect to research this over the internet from Detriot?

Larry

MotorCity Mike · Apr 10, 2004

Larry said:
Why dont you take a trip down to the DR and take a collar yourself? Then you will be able to give a first hand experience of the prison system. I hate when I see people write a "research paper" based on third hand experience. It's like a white liberal describing the black mans plight or the "glass ceiling" he always mysteriously seems to hit. Doesn't seem authentic to me. How can you expect to research this over the internet from Detriot?

Larry

This research is for a college class that I am taking. This IS intended to solicit responses from people that have had experience or know of people that have had experience with the "system". It is specifically targeted for responses from the "internet community". This by no means is a scientific study rather an attempt to get a general idea of the perception of the corrections system in the DR. This has nothing to do with Black or White or Glass Ceilings or authenticity.

I've done some research with Amnesty International and have even received some information from the Dominican Government. The information I've received has been from the two extremes and now I'm looking for something in the middle.

And by the way.....I think I'll pass on coming down there to get "collared" :classic:

Thanks for any help you can give me.

MotorCity Mike

MotorCity Mike · Apr 10, 2004

Thanks for Responding

Lambada said:
I visited Stuart Ratner for 14 months in Fort Aleza, Puerto Plata, 4 years ago, so got to know the system there quite well. Have had more recent contact because of a young Englishwoman jailed there (see thread under General). I had a point of comparison, having been a Probation Officer in UK in 1960's. Result? NO comparison!!! Let me know purpose of your research, & I'll be happy to share my experiences. Be advised I know ONE prison here, not sure how representative that one is of the others.

First of all, I'm glad that Stuart Ratner's bogus drug charges were thrown out on appeal. I can't imagine how tough it would be to spend that much time in prison unjustifiably.

Would you be willing to give me an idea of the conditions of the prison facility he was incarcerated in? Maybe some details on visitation, food served, overcrowding, and whatever else you care to share with me. If you'd like to do this outside of the forum, you can email me directly as well.

Thanks so much

MotorCity Mike

Lambada · Apr 10, 2004

Happy to, MotorCity Mike

If you PM me your email address, I'll respond. May take a day or 2 - iffy line to computer at present.

Tony C · Apr 10, 2004

MotorCity Mike said:
This research is for a college class that I am taking. This IS intended to solicit responses from people that have had experience or know of people that have had experience with the "system". It is specifically targeted for responses from the "internet community". This by no means is a scientific study rather an attempt to get a general idea of the perception of the corrections system in the DR. This has nothing to do with Black or White or Glass Ceilings or authenticity.

Mike,
No offense here but you are doing research on stories people tell you on a Interenet message board about the D.R Prison system? Doesn't make much sense.
Anybody can right anything. I can tell you that in D.R. every prisoner is given 2 beautiful women to pleasure them sexualy and after their release is given a brand new SUV! Is that really research? Or maybe it is a Psych or Sociology paper and you are looking for Guinea pigs?

MotorCity Mike · Apr 10, 2004

Tony C said:
Mike,
No offense here but you are doing research on stories people tell you on a Interenet message board about the D.R Prison system? Doesn't make much sense.
Anybody can right anything. I can tell you that in D.R. every prisoner is given 2 beautiful women to pleasure them sexualy and after their release is given a brand new SUV! Is that really research? Or maybe it is a Psych or Sociology paper and you are looking for Guinea pigs?

Tony,

I know that some information I will receive will be wrong. As I stated before, I need to try and get a "perception" from the public regarding experiences with the prison system. If jokes and bashing are part of the information I receive....this will be part of "the public perception". This is a college assignment and I have to try and "weed out" any erroneous information I receive. I guess my ability to come up with an educated analysis will be part of my grade.

I'll include your comments....as I think my professor will get a kick out of it.

Thanks for your feedback!

MotorCity Mike

Lambada · Apr 10, 2004

Beautiful response to a basher, MCMike!

MotorCity Mike said:
Tony,

I know that some information I will receive will be wrong. As I stated before, I need to try and get a "perception" from the public regarding experiences with the prison system. If jokes and bashing are part of the information I receive....this will be part of "the public perception". This is a college assignment and I have to try and "weed out" any erroneous information I receive. I guess my ability to come up with an educated analysis will be part of my grade.

I'll include your comments....as I think my professor will get a kick out of it.

Thanks for your feedback!

MotorCity Mike

Could your professor teach him the difference between write & right? Mind you, that poster would probably enjoy the ego massage of an inclusion in your research!
Have received your email address & am working on response.

Ken · Apr 10, 2004

Don't forget the large number of people who have been held for years without being sentenced. They have yet to have their case heard by the court.

I had the opportunity to see the inside of the jail in Samana (as a visitor, not an inmate). Very stark. A group of men were sitting on the floor inside a cell. No beds or benches. And no toilet. There was a drain hole in the middle of the floor.

No food was provided, except that brought in by the family or friends.

In a side room were a number of whips neatly hung from hooks on the wall. Prisoners and suspects are not coddled in the DR.

pati · Apr 10, 2004

Ken said:
Prisoners and suspects are not coddled in the DR.

Except those who can pay. I met someone who's wife is in jail in DR. The prison workers would give him their work schedule so that he could call her on their cell phone. I saw some pictures she sent him from jail. She had a pretty nice setup (for jail that is). She had her own cell, a bed, a desk,with a wall mirror. The door to the cell was covered with a white sheet but I was able to see the bars at the bottom.From what I heard he was paying $1000 US a month.

MotorCity Mike · Apr 10, 2004

Thanks For The Responses

Ken and Pati,

Thank you very much for responding. This is exactly the type of information I'm looking for.

It is amazing the different response I received from the government of the DR. Well, maybe not that "amazing".

Thanks again

MotorCity Mike

Tony C · Apr 10, 2004

Lambada said:
Could your professor teach him the difference between write & right? Mind you, that poster would probably enjoy the ego massage of an inclusion in your research!
Have received your email address & am working on response.

Don't you have leylines to find or crystals to chant over? I mean don't you have better things to do than to pour over my posts looking for typos because you can't defend yourself against my debate?

Anyway....

Mike, Good luck on your research.

Hillbilly · Apr 10, 2004

Can you read Spanish?

If you can, you should do a search throughout the Dominican newspapers.

Interesting data: over 80% of current prisoners have never been to trial.

The jail in Puerto Plata is maybe called "la Fortaleza"

Every jail in the country is overcrowded by a factor or 100%.

Law students routinely find people that have been in jail for 5, 6, 7 years without trial.

www.elcaribe.com.do
www.listindiario.com.do
www.hoy.com.do
www.diariolibre.com.do

Are some good places to start. Ask a Hispanic classmate to help you with the search.. Lots of good stuff in there.

HB

MotorCity Mike · Apr 10, 2004

Hillbilly said:
If you can, you should do a search throughout the Dominican newspapers.

Interesting data: over 80% of current prisoners have never been to trial.

The jail in Puerto Plata is maybe called "la Fortaleza"

Every jail in the country is overcrowded by a factor or 100%.

Law students routinely find people that have been in jail for 5, 6, 7 years without trial.

www.elcaribe.com.do
www.listindiario.com.do
www.hoy.com.do
www.diariolibre.com.do

Are some good places to start. Ask a Hispanic classmate to help you with the search.. Lots of good stuff in there.

HB

Hillbilly,

Thanks for the input and the links. I've been to the DR probably 20 times but never had the desire or reason to see the inside of a jail cell. Now I wish I could have (As a visitor of course).

The times I've been there, I've only stayed at an AI twice. The other times, I've rented a car and drove to many of the non-tourist areas. I only wish I would have known that someday I would have been researching this issue.

Thanks,

MotorCity Mike

DRsScarface · Apr 10, 2004

unbelievable

Just know that when women are visiting they strip them to their toes(family members have told me this). they take basically ALL their clothes off and check EVERY part of you body.(Don't want to give graphic details, because it would justy freak you out).

The system is also very unjust, they will give you life in prison just because they "think" you commited the crime. Even if they know you didnt commit the crime, the judges are bought with either money or property. The system is basically EXTREMELY corrupt, trust me, i know from family experience.

MotorCity Mike · Apr 10, 2004

Corruption

DRsScarface said:
Just know that when women are visiting they strip them to their toes(family members have told me this). they take basically ALL their clothes off and check EVERY part of you body.(Don't want to give graphic details, because it would justy freak you out).

The system is also very unjust, they will give you life in prison just because they "think" you commited the crime. Even if they know you didnt commit the crime, the judges are bought with either money or property. The system is basically EXTREMELY corrupt, trust me, i know from family experience.

DRsScarface,

Thanks for your response!!

Do you know if a person can get out of jail by paying a large sum of money?

I know I've been stopped by the police a few times and they've had their hands out for a few pesos for alleged speeding. It's funny how they can tell you're speeding when they stand on the side of the road without a radar gun

Ken · Apr 10, 2004

MotorCity Mike said:
Do you know if a person can get out of jail by paying a large sum of money?

He can.

Tony C · Apr 10, 2004

DRsScarface said:
Just know that when women are visiting they strip them to their toes(family members have told me this). they take basically ALL their clothes off and check EVERY part of you body.(Don't want to give graphic details, because it would justy freak you out).QUOTE]

This is the stuff you will get when looking for information on a Message board. While i don't doubt it has happened to some ignorant poor girl who visited prison on her own there is no way that this is a regular practice. This would not be allowed by Dominican Culture. Retribution would be swift by both the prisoner and their family.

Jails and Prisons in the DR

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