Prison service forced to cope

A total of 1'390 people are currently interned in prison centres on the Balearics, which represents an increase of 10.4 percent in comparison with the month of February of the year 2003, one of the largest increases of imprisoned population in the whole of Spain. A prison Union (CSI-SCIF) official yesterday condemned the “alarming” increase in the number of internees in Spanish prisons over the last year. Figures have increased by 8.5 percent, climbing from 52'854 prisoners on 20 February 2003, to 57'365 on the same date this year. This growth in the prison population, added the official, has not been matched by any new prison installations over the last two years. “Under the motto of, three will fit as good as two, the Interior Ministry appears not to be concerned about addressing overcrowded prison conditions as a series of new installations won't be ready for another four years” claimed CSI-SCIF. The Union said that no political party had developed a realistic policy to tackle prison reform.