Jails are bursting at their seams and cannot handle more inmates, news reports say. The jail population in the DR increased by 15% after General Pedro de Jesus Candelier was appointed in March. He has sent 2,000 Dominicans to jail in an attempt to stop a recent crime wave. To give an idea of the overpopulation in Dominican jails, note that La Victoria, the country’s largest jail, was built in 1952 to house 354 inmates and today houses 3,299. Najayo was built in 1994 for 400 inmates and houses 2,290. The Listín Diario newspaper estimates there are more than 15,000 persons in jail. Official records show 14,814.
