Nicaraguan Jails

Mark, I have experienced 1st hand the jail and court system in Managua, Nicaragua. Four years ago. No supplied food or beds. The jails are no fun and extremely dangerous. Would seriously advise against experiencing it.

Ifg you have money you will likely be springed out of jail very fast and at a cost of a few K depending on the charge and the sentence. This is usually paid to a judge, and sometime to a doctor who will certify that you have hemroids (taken from an actual doctors note to spring a columbian from Bluefields) or something and cannot be in Jail. Also if you cannot afford such a treatment you can get special prison treatment for a lot less money.. However unjust that is, it is a little comforting.

Unfortunately, there are so many variables and so many cultural differences that it is hard to make good sense of statistics, or any one person's stories or opinions. In Nicaragua, and in many Latin American countries, if you do not have a family member bring you food in prison, or pay for it to be delivered, what you are given to eat might shorten your life a lot faster than some of the other prisoners. In most Latin countries, Jail and Prison are very different things. Jail is where you sit safely waiting to negotitage the bribe, and prison is usually where you sit after people have officially given up hope on getting a bribe, and it is far less safe. One reason there are so few people in prison in Nicaragua and other poor countries is that there isnt any money to actually do it. If people do not believe this, simply ask local people if more of the general population belongs behind bars. The answer is always yes (the success rate on apprehending people, and the near daily news and tv reports of people getting off, lends to this conclusion). As a foreigner, you can usually arrange to visit people of your own country, in any Latin prison. It is not that uncommon for people to simpyl request to see any "Canadians" or "Dutch" or whatever prisoners. Often people simply deliver books or cigarettes or whatever. Most Embassies will help with information, but I think it is still against the law or some code for U.S. Embassy people to reveal the names of their citizens who are incarcerated. Maybe the best prison stories I ever heard, and by far the best tour is offered in Bolivia where prisoners offer tours of the prison for a fee (or at least they used to).

There are lots of reasons not to compare the information to the USA. You need to remember that the US has the highest prison population (percentage-wise) in the world. I doubt Nicaragua is the lowest but it is certainly at the other end of the spectrum.

I know someone currently in jail here in Estelí. It isn't a party place but it is pretty much in line with what you would expect. For example, his mother regularly brings him food and that is the norm.

I think comparing it with other government services will help put it in perspective. If you go to the hospital here there are two entrances that translate to "free" and "you can pay". If you go to the free side you get a room and care. What you don't get is sheets for the bed, food and medicine. Those are really extra-cost items.

When a friend was in the hospital we loaned her sheets and brought her food. She had the money to pay for the medicine which is very cheap compared to US standards.

So, bottom line, I don't want to be in jail anywhere but what exists in Nicaragua is nothing like at least the stories you hear about Mexican jails--not that I know if they are true.

Your right. 6,000 seems like a low number. Did you make reservations?

This is from the US State Department's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released in March 2006:

Prison and Detention Center Conditions

Prison conditions were harsh. According to government statistics, there were 5,589 inmates in prisons designed to hold 5,446 prisoners. Some prisons and police holding cells were significantly overcrowded and lacked proper sanitation. The Managua women's prison, with a capacity of 110, reportedly held 170 prisoners in July. International donors and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) worked with the police to improve conditions in holding cells.

The prison system remained underfunded, and medical supplies ranged from inadequate to nonexistent. For the country's 8 penitentiaries and 5,589 prisoners, the authorities maintained a staff of 28 medical specialists. Prison authorities reported that 30 percent of prisoners slept on metal bunks or mattresses on floors. A study carried out during the year by the authorities of the National Penal System (SPN) revealed that for each of 431 prisoners with serious mental and physical illnesses, the prison system had an average budget of $.18 (3 cordobas) per month to purchase medicine.

The quality of prison food remained poor, and malnutrition remained a problem in local jails and police holding cells. Prison officials calculated that the daily expenditure per prisoner for food was approximately $0.55 (9.2 cordobas). Many prisoners received additional food from visitors. Conditions in jails and holding cells remained harsh. Many holding cells were dark, poorly ventilated, unhygienic, and overcrowded. Suspects regularly were left in holding cells during their trials, because budgetary shortfalls restricted the use of fuel for transfers to distant courtrooms. At the Bluefields jail, there were 2 showers and 4 toilets for more than 100 prisoners. The authorities occasionally released detainees when they could no longer feed them.

In July Rosa Argentina Solorzano Picado died in the Managua women's prison. Her family alleged that she had suffered from a severe lung infection and other health problems and that prison and judicial authorities refused to transfer her out of the prison to receive medical attention. Prison authorities, the judiciary, and the Office of the National Prosecutor opened separate investigations to determine whether official wrongdoing or negligence contributed to Solorzano's death. Prison authorities ultimately concluded that three officials were negligent in their duties and failed to respond adequately to Solorzano's health problems. Prison authorities recommended administrative penalties for the three officials. No information regarding any further investigation was available at year's end.

The only separate prison for women was in Managua. In the rest of the country, women were housed in separate wings of prison facilities and were guarded by female custodians. Juveniles were housed in separate prison wings and were on different schedules than adults for mealtime and recreational activities.

The government permitted prison visits by local and international human rights observers, and such visits took place during the year.