Inhumane conditions in the Uruguayan prison system
The Uruguayan prison system not only faces infrastructure problems but also a profound management crisis. According to the parliamentary commissioner's report, the Uruguayan prison system reproduces social exclusion, accumulates violence, and violates fundamental rights. Reforming the Uruguayan prison system involves rethinking the criminal sanction model, reviewing the excessive use of prisons, and ensuring decent conditions for those serving sentences.
The document, drafted at the end of his administration, denounces the fact that thousands of inmates lack access to medical care, rehabilitation programs, or educational spaces. This situation, Petit warns, constitutes an "unconstitutional state" within the country's prisons, where deprivation of liberty becomes a punishment that goes beyond the judicial system.
Read more: Juan Miguel Petit's final report as parliamentary commissioner
A system that reproduces exclusion and violence
Beyond the walls, the impact of the prison system reaches families, prison workers, and entire communities. In a country with an aging and shrinking population, the number of incarcerated people represents a significant demographic burden. For Petit, the excessive use of prison as a penal response is linked to deeper social problems, such as exclusion, mental health, and poverty.
“The excessive use of prison for behaviors that require other types of intervention is eye-opening,” the commissioner said. In his view, the current system not only fails to rehabilitate , but also accumulates violence that then reverberates back into society.
Lack of resources and inefficient management
The report also warns about the financing of the prison system, which "tends to become impossible." Prisons lack sufficient budgets to operate efficiently, which impacts public health, citizen safety, and the possibility of reintegration. Petit proposes removing prison management from the purview of the Ministry of the Interior , in order to gain autonomy and efficiency.
"The lack of resources affects multiple dimensions: human rights, health, security, and people's ability to reintegrate," the document states. According to the commissioner, these shortages are "winning the battle" against society.
Reforms that are not enough
In recent years, technical support, action protocols, and educational spaces have been incorporated in some centers. However, Petit maintains that these advances are insufficient given the magnitude of the problem. To reverse the situation, a sustained accumulation of public policies aimed at social integration .
"The system must be transformed into a powerhouse of inclusion, not a factory of exclusion," he stated. To achieve this, he proposes strengthening socio-educational processes and breaking the cycle of violence from within.
Alternative measures and redemption of sentences
One of the report's most compelling proposals is to reduce the use of prison as the sole criminal response. Uruguay has two people incarcerated for every person on alternative measures, while countries with more inclusive systems have the opposite ratio. For Petit, expanding non-custodial sanctions is more efficient, less costly, and more socially just.
He also proposes that all crimes should be eligible for parole, even the most serious. "Uruguay doesn't have a life sentence. Sooner or later, everyone will get out. They need to have a light, even if it's distant," he said. The proposal generated controversy, but Petit insists that reintegration must be the central objective of the system.
A criminal policy that needs structural review
Petit's report not only denounces current conditions but also questions the current criminal sanction model in Uruguay . According to the commissioner, the country has historically abused prison as a tool of control, without evaluating its actual effectiveness in terms of security, rehabilitation, and reintegration. "Prison cannot be the only response to crime. We must build a smarter, more humane, and more efficient system," he stated.
Read more: White Paper on Penitentiary Reform in Uruguay
In this regard, Petit proposes moving toward a criminal justice policy that prioritizes proportionality, prevention, and social integration. This entails revising the Criminal Code, strengthening the system of alternative measures, and ensuring that custodial sentences are truly exceptional. He also suggests that the State should take an active role in creating opportunities for those who graduate from the system, ensuring that recidivism is not the only way out.
