America has some pretty awful prisons. But, most of our jails don’t even compare to these five prisons from around the globe.
5) Mendoza Prison, Argentina:
To begin our list, Mendoza Prison houses 1,600 inmates in a facility designed for 600. As many as five inmates are packed into each four square meter cell. Septic tanks are limited, leaving the majority of the inmates to defecate in plastic bags and urinate in plastic bottles. To top it all off, there are no medical records for the prisoners and medical staff is only called in after an inmate has died.
4) Nairobi Prison, Kenya:
Inhumane conditions characterize this prison. Populations of 3,800 inmates inhabit a space designed for 800. Moreover, 250 short-term prisoners occupy a temporary space for periods of time designed for 50. Prisoners lack basic necessities such as proper food, clothing, mattresses, and medical assistance. Because of the overcrowding, there is limited medical help and many die in agony from disease.
3) La Sabaneta Prison, Venezuela:
Trumping both Nairobi and Mendoza Prisons for most congested, The Sabaneta Prison in Venezuela houses 25,000 prisoners in a facility meant for 15,000. Corruption runs rampant among the judicial system and the most powerful and wealthy inmates attain rooms with more space and better conditions, leaving the rest to overcrowding and harsh conditions. The prison is also wildly understaffed. There is only about one guard for every 150 inmates, leaving the door open for corrupted practices and violence among guards and inmates.
2) Diyarbakir Prison, Turkey:
The shady past of this Turkish prison leaves it at number two. Events such as the incarceration of children for lifelong sentences, to overcrowding, to hallways flooded with sewage help explain why this prison made the list. Notorious violence between guards and prisoners creates a hostile environment. A 1996 incident between guards and prisoners left 10 inmates dead and 23 injured with 9 in critical condition.
1) Bang Kwang Prison, Thailand:
Also known as the “Bangkok Hilton,” Bang Kwang is the central, high-security prison for men. It maintains all of the characteristics of a poor facility including, but not limited to, overcrowding, understaffing, and corruption. Also, criminally insane inmates are confined and tormented by leg irons as they spend their first months in prison. What’s frightening here is the high number of foreign population serving outrageous sentences within the prison. For example, one recorded case involves a young man from England caught at the border between Cambodia and Thailand with £130.00 (about $213.00) of amphetamine pills. He was initially set to serve a life sentence but pleaded guilty and is currently serving 30 years.
Related Sources:
Listsoplenty.com
