Prison population rises

[NewsWhore]

Dominican Attorney General Radhames Jimenez says that in the last two years, the DR's prison population has increased from 12,500 to 18,000. Jimenez announced these figures at the "New Basis of the Dominican Penitentiary System Conference." During the conference, Jimenez explained that in the new model of the DR penitentiary system inmates go through three stages of rehabilitation. Jimenez also spoke on the difficulties of former convicts as as they try to reinsert themselves into society. Laura Hernandez, director of the public defense program, says that it could take a prisoner as many as three years to obtain "good conduct" certificate, making it difficult for him/her to get a job. She said the system needs to be reformed and that the delay in issuing the good conduct certificate is equal to punishing the prisoner twice.

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