Data for January 1, 2000

General (data for January 1, 2000)

• Total number of detainees — 1,060,085

• Of these: 756,432 convicts (including 43,181 women) are held in 732 corrective colonies (CC);

• 281,696 — in 193 pre-trial detention centers and prisons;

• 21,957 — in 63 educational colonies (EC);

• 4,074 are HIV-infected;

• 96,004 have tuberculosis in the active (infectious) form.

Data for January 1, 1999

General (data for January 1, 1999)

• Total number of detainees — 1,014,600;

• Of these: 719,500 convicts (including 39,800 women) are held in corrective colonies (CC);

• 275,000 — in 191 pre-trial detention centers and prisons;

• 20,100 — in 63 educational colonies (EC);

• 2,300 are HIV-infected;

• 92,000 have tuberculosis in the active (infectious) form;

• 850 convicts, sentenced to death, are held in special sections of pre-trial detention centres.

Among corrective colony inmates 20 percent are convicted of murder or intentional grave bodily harm, 25 percent — of brigandage, robbery or rape. More than 50 percent are recidivists. More than 30 percent are under 25 years of age. 70 percent of inmates are sentenced to long terms of imprisonment (over five years).

The personnel is 350,000 strong. Of these: 244,000 are attested staff members, 68,000 are engaged in industry.

The problem of overcrowding.

Crime rate predictions for the next few years are rather unfavourable. In 1998 recorded crime went up 8 percent, with the share of grave crimes coming to 60 percent. The percentage of cleared-up cases is rising, and so is the number of prison sentences. This is bound to increase the influx of convicts and detainees.

In view of the country’s present economic situation it is impossible to solve the problem of overcrowding by building new prisons, pre-trial detention centres and colonies, moreover, it would take quite a long time too.

It is impossible to go on reducing the prison, pre-trial centre and colony population’s space per prisoner any further, for the mere stay in penal institutions will turn into torture. Nor is it possible to provide normal nutrition. TB and other infectious diseases are rampant and spreading widely.

The Penal System’s Financial Status.

In 1996 the penal system’s financial needs were met up to 66 percent only, and in 1997 – up to 37 percent. In accordance with a decision of the RF Government of April 30, 1998, and a protocol of a session of the Provisional Inter-Departmental Commission for the Restructuring of Budgetary Obligations of April 7, 1998, the limit of minimum budgetary obligations for the penal system in 1998 was set 37.7 percent lower than the level of financing in 1997. Under these conditions the proposed spending on the food ration of one convict dropped to 22 rubles per month (standard norm — 225 rubles), while spending on medical provisions dropped even more — to one fifth of the norm set by the Health Ministry of the Russian Federation.

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