NCJ Number
64034
Journal
CRIMINOLOGIA Volume: 1 Issue: 7 Dated: (1978) Pages: 3-21
Date Published
1978
Length
19 pages
Annotation
THE PROBLEMS OF PRISON INMATES SERVING THEIR SENTENCES IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY ARE EXPLORED FROM DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS WHICH INDICATE THE DESIRABILITY FOR TRANSFERING THEM BACK TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.
Abstract
FOREIGN INMATES SENTENCED TO PRISON TERMS IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY FACE SEVERE DISLOCATION PROBLEMS, ABOVE AND BEYOND THE PENALTY COMMENSURATE WITH THEIR OFFENSES. TO A LESSER DEGREE, THESE PROBLEMS ARE ENCOUNTERED BY MEMBERS OF MEXICO'S HETEROGENEOUS POPULATION ASSIGNED TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES LOCATED IN A STATE OTHER THAN THEIR STATE OF ORIGIN, WHERE THEY FACE UNFAMILIAR CUSTOMS, A TRULY ALIEN CULTURE, AND A LANGUAGE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND. THE TRANSFER OF SUCH INMATES TO A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY LOCATED IN THEIR HOME STATE, WITHIN REASONABLE DISTANCE OF THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, IS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF MEXICAN PENOLOGY, I.E., REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL REINTEGRATION. THE PROBLEMS OF FOREIGN INMATES, SUCH AS MEXICAN CITIZENS IN U.S. PRISONS AND U.S. CITIZENS IN MEXICAN PRISONS, INCLUDE THOSE WHICH ARE SOCIOLOGICAL (COMMUNAL LIFE, AN ENVIRONMENT PERCEIVED AS HOSTILE, PERSONAL IDIOSYNCRASIES, NEGATIVE OUTSIDE INFLUENCES); ETHNOLOGICAL (ALTITUDE, CLIMATE, ADAPTATION DIFFICULTIES, LANGUAGE, RELIGION, NEED FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND FORMAL EDUCATION); HEALTH (SUFFERING FROM INFIRMITIES, FOOD PROBLEMS, CLIMATE UNSUITABLE TO PERSONAL HEALTH); FAMILY (IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY CONTACTS, NECESSITY FOR SPOUSE VISITS, CONCERN WITH CHILDREN'S UPBRINGING, THE CHILDREN'S NEED FOR THE PARENT; WORK (LOCAL AVAILABILITY OF SUITABLE WORK); AND SOCIAL SERVICES (THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTACTS WITH SOCIAL WORKERS). THE ARTICLE PROVIDES THE FULL TEXTS OF THE TREATY BETWEEN MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES ON THE EXCHANGE OF NONPOLITICAL PRISONERS AND OF ANOTHER MEXICAN TREATY WITH COLOMBIA ON THE EXCHANGE OF OFFENDERS SENTENCED TO CORPORAL PUNISHMENT. --IN SPANISH. (LGR).