Prison populations

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Prison populations
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What are the legal standards?(from the UN
minimum rules for treatment of prisoners)

• 8. The different categories of prisoners shall be
  kept in separate institutions or parts of
  institutions taking account of their sex, age,
  criminal record, their legal status
• 20. (1) Every prisoner shall be provided by the
  administration at the usual hours with food of
  nutritional value adequate for health and
  strength, of wholesome quality and well prepared
  and served.
• 21. (1) Every prisoner who is not employed in
  outdoor work shall have at least one hour of
  suitable exercise in the open air daily if the
  weather permits.
• 22. (1) At every institution there shall be
  available the services of at least one qualified
  medical officer who should have some knowledge of
  psychiatry. The medical services should be
  organized in close relationship to the general
  health administration of the community or nation.
  
• 27. Discipline and order shall be maintained with
  firmness, but with no more restriction than is
  necessary for safe custody and well-ordered
  community life.
• 31. Corporal punishment, punishment by placing in
  a dark cell, and all cruel, inhuman or degrading
  punishments shall be completely prohibited as
  punishments for disciplinary offences.

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But what is the law in Brazil?

• The Brazilian constitution contains explicit
  guarantees for the protection of the inmate
  population, among them the injunction that
  "prisoners' physical and moral integrity shall
  be respected."
• The constitution of the state of São Paulo
  provides, for example, that "state prison
  legislation will guarantee respect for the United
  Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment
  of Prisoners and the right to defense in
  cases of disciplinary infractions."
• the national prison law is extremely modern and
  contains numerous provisions mandating
  individualized treatment, protecting inmates'
  substantive and procedural rights, and
  guaranteeing them medical, legal, educational,
  social, religious and material assistance.
• the Minimum Rules of the Treatment of Prisoners
  in Brazil (1994) are modeled after the U.N.
  Standard Minimum Rules. They cover such topics as
  classification, food, medical care, discipline,
  prisoners' contact with the outside world,
  education, work, and voting rights. They are
  officially described as an "essential guide for
  all those who work in prison administration."

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Global comparisons

• the U.S. currently has the largest documented
  prison population in the world, both in absolute
  and proportional terms
• 2.03 million people in prison
• 701 per 100,000
• China has the second highest number of prisoners
• 1.5 million people in prison
• But a rate of only 117 per 100k (official
  figures)
• Russia has the second highest rate of
  imprisonment
• 606 per 100k
• But only 865,000 in prison
• (International Centre for Prison Studies, Kings
  College London)

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