Prisons in Kerlile
Prisons in Kerlile are run by either the Department of Justice or the Department of Rehabilitative Education. The prison system in Kerlile is widely considered to be inhumane by international human rights organisations such as the detention watchdog group Human Dignity International.
Until the passage of the Prison Reform Act (2019), there were nine categories of prison in Kerlile, however this has been reduced to four. The Prison Reform Act also began the process of transferring control of all prison facilities to the Department of Justice that were not already under their control.
Kerlile's incarceration rate is one of the highest in the IDU, though the number of prisoners per 100,000 residents was reduced from 600 in January 2018 to 493 as of July 2020.
Prison Population[edit | edit source]
There are approximately 69,000 individuals incarcerated in prisons throughout Kerlile. This is down from around 84,000 at the beginning of 2019, following the passage of the Prison Reform Act and measures to decrease the prison population. In January 2019, around 8,000 prisoners were being held in the Restricted Region however all prisoners were transferred out of the area by the end of May 2020.
Kerlian trials are usually conducted fairly quickly after arrest. Of those incarcerated, only 14.9% are being held in pre-trial detention.
Conditions[edit | edit source]
Conditions in Kerlian prisons are notoriously harsh, though efforts have been made to improve the welfare of prisoners in recent years. Efforts made by the Reform Party have seen a moratorium on torture in prisons alongside an end to forced labour and greater health provision for prisoners since summer 2019.
Prior to 2019, prisoners in Kerlile were often subjected to forced labour or even torture. Prisoners held in the Restricted Region were regularly subjected to various types of torture, including beatings, starvation and waterboarding. Prisoners held in forced labour camps were expected to work without pay for up to 12 hours a day every day. There have also been widespread allegations of 'brainwashing' taking place inside Kerlian prison facilities, with prisoners being forced to watch propaganda and being tested on their 'loyalty' to the Kerlian state.
Since summer 2019, prisoners have been given the option to work for small pay and increased visitation rights, however prisoners now have the right to refuse. Prisoners who do choose to work may work up to 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Prisoners who choose to work are entitled to visitors once every two weeks, whereas those who refuse are only entitled to visits every two months.
Women convicted of political crimes who are under the age of 25 are often sentenced to a period of up to 5 years in an Alternative Education Centre. These are different from classical Kerlian prisons in that inmates are given lessons on Kerlian culture and values, while also granted a greater degree of freedom in their everyday routine. Critics of the Alternative Education system, such as the Laeral-based Kerlile Human Rights Initiative have called the facilities 'brainwashing centres', designed to ensure women conform to the wishes of the Kerlian state.
Classification System[edit | edit source]
Pre-2019[edit | edit source]
Before the passage of the Prison Reform Act, the Kerlian prison system included nine categories of prisons: three for individuals serving short sentences, or deemed unlikely to attempt escape; four for the majority of criminals, and two for those sentenced to life imprisonment. Every Level 8 or 9 facility was located in the Restricted Region, and was reserved for particularly dangerous criminals or those convicted of certain crimes – including treason or terrorism.
Levels 1-3 - these prison facilities were of a standard comparable to prison facilities in democratic countries. The conditions across all three levels did not vary greatly, with the different classifications referring to security regimes.
Levels 4-7 - this was used to refer to Kerlile's forced labour camps. Many Kerlians (around 70% male) were sentenced to forced labour - though the official sentence included only the level of facility they were to be sent to. They were classified according to the type of labour with prisoners being assigned based on physical ability and severity of crime.
Levels 8-9 - the difference between levels 8 and 9 is unknown. These prisons were located exclusively in the Restricted Region and were only for prisoners serving life sentences.
Post-2019[edit | edit source]
Following the passage of the Prison Reform Act, the system was simplified into four categories, bringing a type of facility not used in the pre-reform system into line with the others. The first three listed here are administered by the Department of Justice, while the latter remains under the purview of the Department of Rehabilitative Education.
Low Security - prisons for individuals serving short sentences, up to two years, and not considered high-risk.
Medium Security - prisons for the majority of prisoners serving medium sentences, higher risk prisoners serving short sentences, or lower risk prisoners serving long sentences.
High Security - prisons for high risk prisoners and those serving sentences ranging from 30 years to life.
Alternative Education - facility where individuals (usually under the age of 25) are taught 'Kerlian values' in an attempt to rehabilitate them into society.
Restricted Region[edit | edit source]
The Restricted Region (known also as the "RR" or "Region 17") was a region of Kerlile which only authorised personnel were allowed to enter. It contained a number of military research facilities alongside a number of detention facilities. It was known as Region 17 prior to 1990. The name Restricted Region, or RR, has become synonymous with prison or torture, as those imprisoned in Restricted Region facilities were often subjected to physical punishment.
In July 2019, it was announced by President Rebecca Arnott of the Reform Party that the detention facilities within the Restricted Region would be shut down. A moratorium was placed on both new transfers and physical punishments within the Region, and prisoners began to be transferred out of the Region to prisons in other parts of the country. In May 2020, these transfers were completed.