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| Crowding and Austerity Strain Portugal’s Prisons | Crowding and Austerity Strain Portugal’s Prisons |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| LISBON — Life inside Portugal’s prisons has become intolerable, just about everybody involved agrees, as budget cuts render them overcrowded, short of necessities and rife with abuse. So it was a surprise to Júlio Rebelo, the president of one of the guards’ unions, just how many prisoners want to stay. | LISBON — Life inside Portugal’s prisons has become intolerable, just about everybody involved agrees, as budget cuts render them overcrowded, short of necessities and rife with abuse. So it was a surprise to Júlio Rebelo, the president of one of the guards’ unions, just how many prisoners want to stay. |
| “We’re in a situation of such austerity that many prisoners don’t even apply for prison leave because at least their meals are paid inside,” Mr. Rebelo said. “It’s the first time I’ve seen this, but it seems families just don’t have the means to welcome prisoners back at home.” | “We’re in a situation of such austerity that many prisoners don’t even apply for prison leave because at least their meals are paid inside,” Mr. Rebelo said. “It’s the first time I’ve seen this, but it seems families just don’t have the means to welcome prisoners back at home.” |
| Indeed, the deteriorating conditions inside Portugal’s prisons can be attributed in part to the deteriorating conditions outside. Government spending cuts and mounting hardship have added dangerous new burdens to a system that guards and prisoners alike warn is already stretched beyond its limits. Things are so bad, Mr. Rebelo said, that “we have to bring our own toilet paper to work these days.” | |
| As its economic downturn approaches its fifth year, Portugal is suffering just about everywhere. But perhaps nowhere is the pain felt more sharply than in its prisons. | As its economic downturn approaches its fifth year, Portugal is suffering just about everywhere. But perhaps nowhere is the pain felt more sharply than in its prisons. |
| Petty crime in Portugal is soaring, with thefts in the second quarter up 14 percent from a year earlier. But that is just one factor contributing to the prison overcrowding: many Portuguese can no longer afford to pay fines even for drunken driving or traffic violations and instead are consigned to three to six months in prison. | Petty crime in Portugal is soaring, with thefts in the second quarter up 14 percent from a year earlier. But that is just one factor contributing to the prison overcrowding: many Portuguese can no longer afford to pay fines even for drunken driving or traffic violations and instead are consigned to three to six months in prison. |
| At the same time, money is tight for managing the prisons, let alone expanding capacity, as the government chops away at spending to meet targets set by its international creditors. Before Portugal had to request a bailout of 78 billion euros, or $101 billion, from its European partners and the International Monetary Fund last year, the government had planned to build 10 new prisons, at a cost of 750 million euros. Now the government is building just one, in the Azores. | At the same time, money is tight for managing the prisons, let alone expanding capacity, as the government chops away at spending to meet targets set by its international creditors. Before Portugal had to request a bailout of 78 billion euros, or $101 billion, from its European partners and the International Monetary Fund last year, the government had planned to build 10 new prisons, at a cost of 750 million euros. Now the government is building just one, in the Azores. |
| Portugal’s prison authorities would not grant a reporter and a photographer access to any of its prisons, and the Justice Ministry declined a request for an interview. But early this year, Justice Minister Paula Teixeira da Cruz said that conditions in some prisons had become “shameful” and promised a 31 million euro overhaul of the system. | Portugal’s prison authorities would not grant a reporter and a photographer access to any of its prisons, and the Justice Ministry declined a request for an interview. But early this year, Justice Minister Paula Teixeira da Cruz said that conditions in some prisons had become “shameful” and promised a 31 million euro overhaul of the system. |
| Prison guards, social workers and lawyers say those plans fall far short of what is needed. Portugal’s most recent official statistics indicated that its prisons had an occupancy rate of 110 percent of capacity, or a surplus of 1,413 prisoners. The total number of inmates rose to 12,344 at the end of June, from 11,099 in 2009. | Prison guards, social workers and lawyers say those plans fall far short of what is needed. Portugal’s most recent official statistics indicated that its prisons had an occupancy rate of 110 percent of capacity, or a surplus of 1,413 prisoners. The total number of inmates rose to 12,344 at the end of June, from 11,099 in 2009. |
| In terms of overcrowding, Portugal ranks 13th out of 56 countries in greater Europe, including states like Azerbaijan, according to a report by the International Center for Prison Studies. | In terms of overcrowding, Portugal ranks 13th out of 56 countries in greater Europe, including states like Azerbaijan, according to a report by the International Center for Prison Studies. |
| But the situation is probably worse than the numbers suggest. Mr. Rebelo, the union leader, accused the government of manipulating statistics to play down overcrowding. In Mr. Rebelo’s prison, one of Portugal’s newest, the number of inmates is expected to rise to 753 from 630 under a plan to add bunk beds. The prison, in Sintra about 20 miles west of Lisbon, was built in 2004 to hold 600 inmates. | But the situation is probably worse than the numbers suggest. Mr. Rebelo, the union leader, accused the government of manipulating statistics to play down overcrowding. In Mr. Rebelo’s prison, one of Portugal’s newest, the number of inmates is expected to rise to 753 from 630 under a plan to add bunk beds. The prison, in Sintra about 20 miles west of Lisbon, was built in 2004 to hold 600 inmates. |
| “They’ve changed their calculations for available space from square to cubic meters, so that bodies can basically be piled up while keeping ratios officially unchanged,” he said. | “They’ve changed their calculations for available space from square to cubic meters, so that bodies can basically be piled up while keeping ratios officially unchanged,” he said. |
| For inmates, it is not just the overcrowding that makes their lives so miserable. “Guards are now working under the worst conditions that I’ve seen — so I’ve got some sympathy for that,” said Carlos Santos, a former inmate. “The real problem is that when guards are in such a bad state of mind, their response is, unfortunately, to pile on the abuses and violence.” | For inmates, it is not just the overcrowding that makes their lives so miserable. “Guards are now working under the worst conditions that I’ve seen — so I’ve got some sympathy for that,” said Carlos Santos, a former inmate. “The real problem is that when guards are in such a bad state of mind, their response is, unfortunately, to pile on the abuses and violence.” |
| Mr. Santos knows Portugal’s prison system only too well. He was released this year after 18 years spent in five different prisons for crimes that included homicide, drug trafficking and theft. He spent his last year, he said, sharing a two-person cell with five other inmates. In September, inmates staged a strike to denounce beatings by guards, as well as worsening food and sanitary conditions, including having to share cells with inmates with infectious diseases. | Mr. Santos knows Portugal’s prison system only too well. He was released this year after 18 years spent in five different prisons for crimes that included homicide, drug trafficking and theft. He spent his last year, he said, sharing a two-person cell with five other inmates. In September, inmates staged a strike to denounce beatings by guards, as well as worsening food and sanitary conditions, including having to share cells with inmates with infectious diseases. |
| Former inmates claim basic items like shampoo and detergent, previously distributed free, must now be bought, from guards who overcharge and pocket the difference. “In a crisis, corruption takes whatever little money is available out of the system,” Mr. Santos said. | Former inmates claim basic items like shampoo and detergent, previously distributed free, must now be bought, from guards who overcharge and pocket the difference. “In a crisis, corruption takes whatever little money is available out of the system,” Mr. Santos said. |
| Guards say they are as much victims of the country’s economic misery as the inmates. Damaged security cameras go six months without repair or replacement, they say. The maintenance company responsible for keeping prison vehicles operating is refusing to repair any more until it is paid for previous work. | Guards say they are as much victims of the country’s economic misery as the inmates. Damaged security cameras go six months without repair or replacement, they say. The maintenance company responsible for keeping prison vehicles operating is refusing to repair any more until it is paid for previous work. |
| A year ago, when the guards went on strike, the government agreed to hire 240 new ones. The guards say that 800 new recruits are needed to maintain order amid the overcrowding. | A year ago, when the guards went on strike, the government agreed to hire 240 new ones. The guards say that 800 new recruits are needed to maintain order amid the overcrowding. |
| “It would be a big mistake to underestimate what prison guards can do when they are put under intolerable pressure,” Mr. Rebelo said. | “It would be a big mistake to underestimate what prison guards can do when they are put under intolerable pressure,” Mr. Rebelo said. |
| While prisoners are complaining about more physical abuse, Mr. Rebelo said that the number of attacks against guards had climbed as much as 200 percent in the past three years, in part because of the overcrowding. | While prisoners are complaining about more physical abuse, Mr. Rebelo said that the number of attacks against guards had climbed as much as 200 percent in the past three years, in part because of the overcrowding. |
| Life is little better for those who leave. After spending 15 years in prison, Jorge Montero, 35, was released in 2009, just as joblessness started to rise. Unable to find work in Portugal, where unemployment is now almost 16 percent, he said he had been lucky to avoid poverty only because he has family in Switzerland, where he has found several short-term jobs as a carpenter. | Life is little better for those who leave. After spending 15 years in prison, Jorge Montero, 35, was released in 2009, just as joblessness started to rise. Unable to find work in Portugal, where unemployment is now almost 16 percent, he said he had been lucky to avoid poverty only because he has family in Switzerland, where he has found several short-term jobs as a carpenter. |
| “If you come out of jail in Portugal now, you’ve got almost zero chance of not going straight back in,” he said. “There’s just nothing for you to do except sit around and stay poor and depressed.” | “If you come out of jail in Portugal now, you’ve got almost zero chance of not going straight back in,” he said. “There’s just nothing for you to do except sit around and stay poor and depressed.” |
Marisa Moura contributed reporting. | Marisa Moura contributed reporting. |
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