The Penal System in the First Half of 2013: Statistics

According to data provided by the penitentiary service, as of 01.07.2013, there were 136,233 persons in places of detention (as of 01.01.2013 – 147,112 persons; as of 01.07.2012 – 152,076 persons). Over six months, the number of persons in places of detention decreased by 10,879, or by -7.4%; over the year, the number decreased by 15,843, or by -10.4%. The prisoner rate per 100,000 population dropped below the three hundred mark, reaching 299, whereas in 2003 it stood at 401.

 The number of convicted persons was 110,905 (as of 01.01.2013 – 114,994 persons; as of 01.07.2012 – 118,909 persons), which means that over six months it decreased by 4,089, or by -3.56%.

 The number of occupants in pre-trial detention centres stood at 24,193 as of 01.07.2013 (as of 01.01.2013 – 30,854 persons; as of 01.07.2012 – 33,167 persons). This is 6,661 fewer, or -21.6%, than six months ago. By the way, on 01.07.2010, there were 40,024 persons held in pre-trial detention centres. It is precisely due to the substantial decrease in the number of pre-trial detention centre occupants that the overall reduction in the number of persons in places of detention has been largely achieved.

A gradual decrease in the number of convicted persons has also begun.

For instance, during the first half of 2013, 21,849 newly convicted persons were admitted to penal institutions (during the same period last year – 26,931 persons), and 21,995 persons were released (during the same period last year – 19,992 persons), including 10,783 persons released on parole (during the first half of 2012 – 9,215 persons). This is 45.5% of the number of persons eligible for parole. In total, over the six months, the number of convicted persons decreased by 146, whereas a year ago during the same period, the excess of those admitted behind bars over those released was 6,939 persons.

This means that the noticeable growth in the number of convicted persons has stopped, and an opposite trend towards a decrease in their numbers has emerged.

The dynamics of the number of persons in the department’s institutions are shown in Table 1.

Table 1

The number of convicted women as of 01.07.2013 was 6,898. As of 01.01.2012, there were 6,862, meaning their number remained almost unchanged.

In contrast, the number of women held in pre-trial detention centres decreased significantly—to 1,605, whereas as of 01.01.2013, there were 2,289, and a year prior to that—2,618.

In places of detention for juveniles, as of 01.07.2013, there were 1,135 persons (as of 01.01.2013 – 1,264 persons), with 683 persons under the age of 18 (as of 01.01.2013 – 751 persons). Evidently, there is a stable trend towards a decrease in the number of convicted teenagers behind bars. This is particularly noticeable in comparison with the number of residents in educational colonies as of 01.01.2005, when there were 3,225 persons.

Over the six months, 5,151 persons were released from pre-trial detention centres (during the first half of 2012 – 5,988 persons), including 1,664 persons upon completion of their sentence (during the first half of 2012 – 1,697 persons; during the first half of 2011 – 2,650 persons); measures not involving imprisonment were applied to another 1,403 persons (during the first half of 2012 – to 2,473 persons); and 1,786 persons were released due to a change in restrictive measures (during the first half of 2012 – 1,774 persons).

Due to the termination of cases by courts and acquittals, 37 persons were released.

The number of life-sentenced persons increased over the six months by 35 (during the first half of 2012 – by 42 persons) and amounted to 1,845 persons as of 01.07.2013, 23 of whom were women.

It is worth noting the trends in indicators reflecting morbidity and mortality. According to data provided by the penitentiary service to “Donetsk Memorial” over the six months, 476 persons died (during the first half of 2012 – 537 persons), of whom 77 died in pre-trial detention centres.

Mortality in 2013 remains at a rather high level, as in the previous two years: 7.00 deaths per 1,000 prisoners (in 2012 – 6.94; in 2011 – 7.59). This is noticeably higher than the level of 2009–2010, when this indicator was 5.15–5.25, not to mention 2003, when the indicator was 4.3.

The further significant growth in cases of suicide is very alarming—there were 41 over the six months (during the first half of 2012 – 32 cases)—the same amount as for the whole of 2003. Calculated per 1,000 prisoners on an annual basis, this amounts to 0.60 cases; in 2012, the indicator was 0.42 cases, whereas during 2008–2010 this indicator was 0.27–0.30 annually, and in 2003 it was 0.21. In other words, the number of suicides has increased almost threefold over the decade.

The number of patients with active tuberculosis has stabilised; as of 01.01.2013, there were 4,479, and although this is 528 fewer patients than a year ago, the total number of prisoners has decreased in exactly the same proportion; therefore, the indicator for the last year has not changed—32.9 patients per 1,000 prisoners.

A slow growth in the number of HIV-infected persons persists. And although their number grew insignificantly—by 56 persons over the six months—in terms of the rate per 1,000 prisoners, the increase was +8.9% over the six months, and +23.5% over the last year.

Table 2

Morbidity and mortality in Department institutions

In the 697 subdivisions of the criminal-executive inspection, there are 140,384 persons convicted to criminal penalties not involving imprisonment, as well as administrative penalties (as of 01.01.2013 – 152,321 persons; as of 01.02.2012, there were 168,024 persons).

The penitentiary service reported that over the six months, 91 complaints were received (during the same period a year ago – 196 complaints), of which 3 were upheld or recognised as justified.

“Donetsk Memorial” is grateful to the State Penitentiary Service for providing statistical information.