Penitentiary institutions of all types in Russia hold about 50,000 juveniles from 11 to
18 years of age; pre-trial detention facilities 20,000; SIZOs,
18,000 (as of late 1995).
Juv Penitentiary institutions of all types in Russia hold about 50,000
juveniles from 11 to 18 years of age; pre-trial detention facilities 20,000; SIZOs, 18,000 (as of late 1995).eniles are usually kept in
separate wings within SIZOs. Children’s cells are not
as overcrowded as adult cells, and they are designed for 4—12 inmates; all other cell
conditions are the same as in cells for adult prisoners (see chapter “Women in SIZOs”). According to the law, juveniles are allowed two
hours of exercise daily, and higher level of nutrition, but the quality of the food is the
same as for adults.
Terms of pre-trial detention for juveniles are excessively long (from
six months up to three years). Arrest, as a measure of persecution, is applied
unreasonably often. As a rule, arrestees are not released after their case went to court.
Judges often get familiar with cases without the presence of parents or guardians (this is
the violation of law). Medical service is inadequate. Some cases are known, when
juveniles, having scabies, didn't receive any treatment for 23 weeks in spite of the fact,
that they asked to see a doctor. Girls as well as women are not supplied with necessary
sanitary material and toilet articles.
Juveniles spend excessively long terms in pre-trial detention for
juveniles are excessively long (from six months up to three years). Arrest is used
unreasonably often as a measure of restraint. As a rule, arrestees are not released after
their cases go to court. Judges often examine cases without the presence of parents or
guardians, (in violation of the law). Medical service is inadequate. For example, we are
aware of many juveniles who suffered scabies but received no treatment for 23 weeks, in
spite of the fact, that they asked to see a doctor. Girls are not supplied with necessary
sanitary napkins and other toilet articles.
Most young offenders cannot afford to hire a skilled defense lawyer.
They do not know their rights, do not understand the meaning of legal procedures, and do
not know how to write a complaint or any other document relating their cases. Girls file
almost no complaints about conditions of detention or violations of their rights to state
oversight bodies or non-governmental organizations because, according to informal rules
among prisoners, this is severely punished by other inmates.
The number of staff working with minors is inadequate. When there is no
proper control over them, violence and suicide attempts rise.
In recent years, cases of violence were recorded not only in boys’
cells, but in girls’ as well.
For example, in the Butyrka pre-trial detention center, one girl
(Marina R.) was almost raped with a hot water boiler. It was by mere chance that the girl
was spared: a prison officer happened be near the door and overheard a conversation. This
woman opened the door and let the girl who was supposed to be a victim out. This incident
was under departmental investigation, which yilded no results, because the investigation
started several months later, after the complaint had come from colony.
There is a strict hierarchy among juvenile inmates: there many so
called "disgraced" boys (those who were raped) in boys' cells. In almost every
cell for girls there are one or two girls who have very low status and are constantly
subjected to violence in forms difficult for an adult to imagine. They are beaten, not
allowed to sleep, raped with spoons and shampoo bottles, compelled to eat cockroaches,
excrement; their tormentors burn out hair on their heads, make tattoos (over an upper lip
or on a hand) indicating their disgraceful status, they not only rape them, but also make
these girls satisfy sexual needs of their co-inmates in the most cruel and perverse ways.
These girls do the grunt work in cells.
Marina R., who was transferred to a cell with adult women, had a deep
festering wound (1.5—2 centimeters deep) on her thigh — her co-inmates set fire
to a plastic bag and held it to the girl's body.
It is almost impossible to avoid violence and torment in juvenile
cells, because according to the informal code of conduct inherent to this groups of
prisoners, asking the prison administration for help is a disgraceful act; complainers are
tormented in other cells, during transportation to a colony,
and in the colony.
SIZO administrations know about these problems, but officially reject
them. Juveniles subjected to violence receive no help from a psychologist, a psychiatrist,
a gynecologist, even if the administration is informed about such incidents. In the
opinion of many respondents (ex- political and other prisoners) in Russian penitentiary
institutions it would be better to hold teenagers together with adults. Prison staff
working with this category of prisoners also share (unofficially) this point of view.
Whenever possible, they try to transfer girls subjected to violence to grown women cells,
even if this is prohibited by law. Whenever a commission is expected to visit, the girls
are returned to cells for minors. One or two adult prisoners, so called educators, are
usually kept in cells for boys.
Inhuman prison conditions are accompanied by psychological torture:
juveniles are not allowed to work, continue education, or receive books and newspapers
from their relatives; books from prison library are not often available, on week days
inmates receive only one newspaper per cell.
Conditions in IVS cells are even worse
than in SIZOs.
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