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Political Rehabilitation in Cuban Prisons: The Plan Progresivo

NCJ Number
119990
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 40 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1989) Pages: 72-79
Author(s)
M S Hamm
Date Published
1989
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article describes how Cuba's philosophy of political prisoner rehabilitation is carried out.
Abstract
Because information provided by the Cuban government on rehabilitation on political prisoners can be highly biased, four primary sources of data are used: (1) information supplied by international human rights organizations; (2) personal interviews with and published life histories of political prisoners previously detained in Cuban prisons; (3) published interviews with Fidel Castro concerning his days as a political prisoner in Cuba; and (4) legal documents of the Cuban government. Central to the Cuban system of penology is the principle of preventing violations of the law and antisocial conduct and reeducating those found guilty of such violations and conduct. Political rehabilitation of prisoners is called the Plan Progresivo and is carried out by employing prisoners in remunerated labor and by providing them with basic skills, political indoctrination, and discipline. Data indicate that most political prisoners are subject to the Plan Progresivo for draft resistance or military desertion. Recent assessments of the Plan indicate that it has a number of humane and constructive features. 2 footnotes.