Nearly 70% of families of prisoners in São Paulo have received no news during the pandemic, says FGV.
Research by the Center for Bureaucracy Studies at FGV, based on responses from 1.283 relatives of inmates, reveals that 69,6% of families of people imprisoned in the state of São Paulo have had no news during the pandemic.
Daniel Mello, Agência Brasil - Most families of people imprisoned in the state of São Paulo are without news during the new coronavirus pandemic, shows research released today (16) by the Bureaucracy Studies Center of the Getulio Vargas Foundation. Based on responses from 1.283 relatives of inmates, the study revealed that 69,6% are without information or contact during this period in which visits were restricted as a measure to reduce the spread of the disease.
Among families who managed to maintain some contact with incarcerated relatives, most of this communication was done through letters or private lawyers. "Even so, family accounts show that letters have been slow to arrive and, often, do not arrive at all," the study says.
Less than half (48%) of families have a private lawyer. For 41,4% of those who hire these services, the cost is justified because it is the only way to receive and send news to the prisoner. 39,8% rely solely on the Public Defender's Office, and 11,6% say they have no defender involved in the case. The vast majority (74,5%) of families believe that having a defender does not help to protect the incarcerated person at this time.
Profile
Almost all (99%) of the people who responded to the survey are women. Of these, 44,9% are mixed-race, 12,7% are Black, and 39,9% are White. These are people who also suffered the impacts of the pandemic. Among these families, 33,1% say they lost a lot of income due to the pandemic, and 26,5% were left with no income at all. The average monthly income of these family units is R$ 1.097, with an average income of R$ 371 per person.
Recommendations
Based on the observed scenario, the study makes some recommendations, such as the need to reassess pretrial detentions, which should only be maintained in exceptional circumstances, according to a resolution of the National Council of Justice.
The researchers also highlight the importance of transparency in data regarding COVID-19 cases and deaths within prisons. Furthermore, they emphasize the need for means of communication between families and incarcerated relatives, such as tablets or public telephones.
Secretary
The Penitentiary Administration Secretariat reported that visits to prison units have been suspended since March 20th "to prevent the spread of COVID-19 contagion." The department stated that "as an alternative measure to maintain social ties," the sending and receiving of correspondence is permitted. However, the material must undergo a period of "quarantine" before being distributed.
The department also highlights that it has already implemented an electronic correspondence system in 176 prison units to facilitate contact between inmates and their families.
In cases of death, the department states that "the family is immediately notified by the social services department of the unit where the prisoner was located," and the causes of death are specified by health authorities, "with unrestricted access to information for family members."