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PRISONERS IN FOREIGN JAILS - THE CASE FOR TRANSFER TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY

NCJ Number
62680
Author(s)
ANON
Date Published
1979
Length
13 pages
Annotation
PUNISHMENT IS INCREASED BY BEING SERVED IN A FOREIGN LAND AND KEEPING PRISONERS IN FOREIGN JAILS IS NEITHER JUST OR HUMANE.
Abstract
IF PRISONERS ARE MADE TO SERVE A SENTENCE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, AND DEPORTED HOME AT THE END OF IT, THEY ARE DEPRIVED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTACT WITH THEIR FAMILY DURING THE SENTENCE AND OF THE CHANCE TO PREPARE FOR REINTEGRATION WITH THEIR OWN COMMUNITY. THIS IS NEITHER IN THE INTERESTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL, THEIR FAMILY, NOR THEIR COUNTRY. PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY FOREIGN PRISONERS INCLUDE LANGUAGE, LEGAL DIFFICULTIES, ISOLATION, LACK OF VISITS AND READING MATTERS, CULTURAL AND DIETARY BARRIERS, AND LOSS OF SELF-CONFIDENCE AND THE ABILITY TO WORK. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT SOME 550 BRITISH CITIZENS AND 2,000 AMERICANS ARE IMPRISONED ABROAD AND THE PROBLEM IS GROWING. ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN NOW TO ESTABLISH A HUMANE AND EFFICIENT SYSTEM BY ESTABLISHING TRANSFER AGREEMENTS BETWEEN COUNTRIES INVOLVED. SOME PROGRESS HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE, SPECIFICALLY BY THE FIVE SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES, THE UNITED STATES, MEXICO, CANADA, BOLIVIA, AND TURKEY. THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR CRIME AND DELINQUENCY (U.S.) AND THE HOWARD LEAGUE (BRITAIN) HAVE BEEN URGING ACTION AND THE REPORT STATES THAT INFORMATION SHOULD BE COLLECTED AND NEGOTIATING AGREEMENTS REACHED AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY. EXAMPLES OF TRANSFER ARE PROVIDED IN THE TREATY BETWEEN THE U.S. AND MEXICO. THE REPORT WAS PREPARED BY THE HOWARD LEAGUE OF GREAT BRITAIN AND INCLUDES LISTS OF RECENT ARTICLES IN THE HOWARD JOURNAL, A SELECTED LIST OF HOWARD LEAGUE PUBLICATIONS, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE LEAGUE. (MJW)