He Penalty Management Service and Alternative Measures upon entry into prisonreceives around 1,800 annual sanctions in Cordova for its execution and these are practically double what they were a decade ago, according to its manager, Antonio Miguel García. This is a way with which, at the proposal of the judges, people who have committed minor crimes (among other circumstances) avoid deprivation of freedom through his participation in training initiativeswork for the benefit of the community or both activities.
In this way, the director of the Córdoba penitentiary center, Yolanda González, confirms that alternative penalties and measures have been increasing in recent years, and explains that “in certain cases, there are measures more useful than deprivation of liberty for modifying the behavior” of the offender.
He service serves more than 1,200 people annually. In general terms, the judge can propose the suspension of the prison sentence when this does not exceed two years (among other requirements), although there are exceptions up to five years, for example, when the individual suffers a serious or incurable illness.
The bulk of the people who serve these sentences and measures are men aged between 30 and 50 years. Antonio Miguel García points out that individuals between 70 and 80 years old “come, above all, for gender violence.” Regarding the spirit of these sanctions, he also recalls that “one of the minimum rules of the Council of Europe is that No one can be deprived of their freedom unless it is the last resort. available”.
Social collaboration is essential
The management of sentences and alternative measures is part of the work of the Carlos García Valdés Social Integration Center (located in the Las Quemadas industrial estate) which, in addition to this work, manages the sentences of around 190 people that are found in the third degree penitentiary and of a hundred individuals in conditional freedom.
In the case of alternative sentences and measures, the judicial body establishes the number of days that the prisoner must complete and, according to that figure, the management service opts for the execution of workshops (around two months), training programs (around 10 months) or community useful activities. In the latter case, these individuals do not receive a salary for their work, although they are registered with Social Security.
Yolanda González, Antonio Miguel García and María del Pilar Reyes talk at the CIS.
The deputy director of the CIS, Maria del Pilar Reyes, details that «we have a catalog of activities and programs. Depending on the needs, the person and the crime, the most appropriate program is assigned so that the punishment serves in a constructive manner. To do this, they also have the collaboration of city councils and other private and public entities.
In this sense, Antonio Miguel García assures that “the visibility of these penalties is fundamental.” On the one hand, he understands that “businessmen still lack a humanistic attitude toward workers,” and on the other hand, he affirms that «certain local entities would have to become aware that their neighbors have to comply with. If the city council does not collaborate, they must be moved to another town or the capital, and they are usually people with few resources. In the end, it comes to non-compliance », he laments.
Road safety and gender violence
Regarding the most requested initiatives, the head of the Penalty and Alternative Measures Management Service indicates that the most requested workshops are on road safety and against gender violence. However, there are other proposals such as Extended Bridge, for people with disabilities or mental health problems; Restorative justice, aimed at individuals with an interest in asking the victim for forgiveness; Off the grid, against pornography on-line; Meeting, for family violence; Pideco, against economic crimes, or Count With You, for people who use drugs.
