Dominican Republic builds nine new prisons to reform penitentiary system

President Luis Abinander led a meeting to discuss penitentiary reforms in the Dominican Republic, where officials reported the simultaneous construction of nine new prison centers.

The government completed facilities in Higüey and Barahona while continuing work in San Juan, Hato Mayor, and Neiba. Officials are currently repairing the Salcedo center and searching for land in Independencia for a new site.

President Abinader noted that the San Juan project needs structural reinforcement and a new bidding process because costs exceeded the legal limit of 25 percent. The state also invested over RD$2 billion to complete Las Parras. The reform includes removing 128 police officers from the penitentiary system to fight corruption and opening a specialized mental health center in Najayo. Authorities plan to close the La Victoria prison and move its remaining inmates to other sites.

They intend to turn the 200,000-square-meter La Victoria site into an Educational City with a theme park and a cable car terminal. Public Defender Rodolfo Valentín Santos warned that some facilities still suffer from overcrowding and poor food and infrastructure.