Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

May 29, 2024

Brazil: Congress overturns Lula’s veto, ends temporary prisoner releases

News

South America Justice Brazil

Brazil’s National Congress decisively voted on Tuesday to end temporary prisoner releases. These releases previously allowed prisoners to visit families or engage in social activities.

May 26, 2023

Brazil: prisons without guards offer inmates path to recovery

News

South America Facilities Rehabilitation Brazil

Facilities run by a local non-profit focus on rehabilitation over punishment, in a method that has expanded worldwide.

October 3, 2022

Brazil: voting rights are flouted

Opinion

Pre-trial detention South America Justice Brazil

Brazil, 2022, electoral year. The law provides that prisoners in pre-trial detention are allowed to vote. There is an ongoing legal battle for the right to vote for people in pre-trial detention.

June 15, 2022

Brazil: destacan la alta escolaridad formal en las cárceles de la región

News

South America Activities Brazil

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

February 24, 2022

Brasil: Pelea en una cárcel causa cinco muertos y 18 heridos

News

South America Protest Violence Brazil

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

February 21, 2022

Brazil: Reading books can reduce prison sentence

News

Culture South America Activities Brazil

Brazil has a unique way of reducing the prison term of the inmates.

February 11, 2022

Brasil: Visita del órgano de prevención de la tortura de la ONU para reforzar el mecanismo nacional de prevención de la tortura

News

South America Torture Brazil

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

October 15, 2021

Brazil: the impact of COVID-19 on family links and prison monitoring

Coronavirus South America Mental health Social ties Brazil

Realities on the ground are discussed by Rafael Godoi, a sociologist and researcher at Rio’s Universidade Federal (UFRJ), and Alessandra Félix, an activist from Brazil’s north-eastern state of Ceará.

September 28, 2021

In Brazil, loved ones may be far away but remain supportive

Interview

South America Women Social ties Brazil

On visiting days, fewer people wait in front of women’s prisons than men’s prisons, but the female prisoners have not been abandoned. Two researchers answered our questions.

June 23, 2021

Brazil: an obstacle course for prisoners' families in the pandemic

Interview

Coronavirus South America Social ties Brazil

ICPR and Prison Insider asked several experts worldwide to share their insights in the framework of the project ‘Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in 10 countries’. Maria Teresa dos Santos is the chair of the Associação de Amigos e Familiares de Pessoas em Privação de Liberdade (As…

June 23, 2021

Brazil: the vital work of the Public Defenders’ Office in a public health crisis

Analysis Opinion

Coronavirus South America Overcrowding Brazil

ICPR and Prison Insider asked several experts worldwide to share their insights in the framework of the project ‘Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in 10 countries’. Patrick Cacicedo is a Public Defender based in São Paulo.Patrick holds a PhD from the University of São Paulo (USP),…

April 1, 2021

Brazil / USA: female mass incarceration

Analysis

North America South America Women Long-term prisoners Drugs Brazil

Brazil and the United States are amongst the countries that incarcerate the highest numbers of women. What policies and practices do these countries have in common?

March 30, 2021

Brasil: Xuxa propuso que se prueben vacunas y medicamentos en presos “que al menos sirvan para algo”

News

Coronavirus South America Health Brazil

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

March 18, 2021

Brazil: managing uncertainty

Analysis

Coronavirus South America Material conditions Activities Social ties Brazil

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Brazilian authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

February 2, 2021

Brazil: Covid-19 aggravating the jail crisis

News

Coronavirus South America Protest Overcrowding Violence Brazil

As the largest and most inhabited country in South America, Brazil has also the largest population of people in jail.

January 27, 2021

Brazil: motherhood behind bars

Coronavirus Pre-trial detention South America Women Material conditions Social ties Brazil

What the numbers reveal about incarcerated mothers and pregnant women.

September 8, 2020

Brazil: disregard for life

Interview

Coronavirus South America Health Violence Brazil

With more than 700,000 prisoners, the ailing prison system has been thrown into turmoil by the ongoing political disorder and the health crisis caused by Covid-19. What is the future for prisons in Brazil, and what are the main challenges at present?

September 7, 2020

Brazil: drugs, walls and being a woman

Interview

Women Access to legal rights Drugs Brazil

Ranked as the world’s third-highest prison population, its number of imprisoned women is rising increasingly.

July 24, 2020

Brazil : La pandemia de coronavirus sigue avanzando en las cárceles ante la desesperación de los familiares

News

Coronavirus South America Health Overcrowding Brazil

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

June 17, 2020

Brazil: COVID-19 breeds fear and calls for change

News

Coronavirus South America Health Brazil

Carolina, a Brazilian mother, hasn’t heard anything from her jailed son since March when authorities banned prison visits due to the coronavirus outbreak and she is scared. As COVID-19 deaths rise in Brazil’s violent and overcrowded jails, activists have called for tens of thousands of prisoners to…

May 6, 2020

Brazil: inmates protest suspension of visits

News

Coronavirus South America Social ties Brazil

A riot broke out Saturday at a prison in the city of Manaus in Brazil’s Amazon state, as inmates protested the suspension of all visits to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The inmates at the Puraquequara facility held prison guards hostage for more than five hours before authorities brought t…

May 6, 2020

Brazil: Covid-19 massacre imminent

News

Coronavirus South America Health Material conditions Brazil

Open and poorly treated wounds, food waste on the cell floor, rat faeces, little ventilation, water rationing, insects everywhere. While some inmates do not even get up from their beds, such is their weak state of health, others are stuck in wheelchairs. To wash one’s body or one’s hands or clean a…

March 18, 2020

Brazil: évasions en masse de détenus suite aux mesures anti-coronavirus

News

Coronavirus South America Health Brazil

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

November 8, 2019

Brazil: el Supremo anula el ingreso en prisión tras la sentencia en segunda instancia

News

South America Brazil

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish