The Penal System in the First Half of 2012: Statistics

According to data provided by the department’s management, as of 01/07/2012, there were 152,076 people in places of detention (as of 01/01/2012, there were 154,029 people; a year ago, there were 157,866 people). Thus, over six months, the number of individuals in places of detention decreased by 1.27%, and by 3.67% over the year.

The number of convicted persons totalled 118,909, which is an increase of approximately 2,500 people over the half-year, although compared to the level of a year ago, this is 244 people fewer than the previous year.

The number of residents in pre-trial detention centres totalled 33,167 as of 01/07/2012. This is 4,465 people fewer than six months ago and 5,546 fewer than in July 2011 (on 01/07/2010, there were 40,024 people). It is precisely due to the significant decrease in the number of residents in pre-trial detention centres that the overall reduction in the number of people in places of detention was achieved.

However, the trend towards an increase in the number of convicted persons in penal institutions remains steady. For instance, during the first half of 2012, 26,931 newly convicted persons were admitted to penal institutions (24,707 people in the same period last year), while 19,992 people were released (18,304 people in the same period last year), including 9,215 people released on parole (9,058 people in the first half of 2011). In total, 6,939 more people were admitted than released over the half-year. A year ago, for the same period, the excess was 6,403 people.

This means that the growth rate of the number of convicted persons is increasing. And only a significant decrease in the number of pre-trial detention centre residents compensates for this growth.

The number of convicted women as of 01/07/2012 cannot be stated precisely.

On one hand, according to the penitentiary service, there are 9,315 people, which is highly questionable. After all, on 01/01/2012, there were 6,862 people, and a year ago, 7,100 people. A 36% growth in half a year is impossible. On the other hand, in the Government’s Report to the UN Universal Periodic Review, the penitentiary service provides the following data: as of 01/06/2012, there were 7,092 women and 93 girls in Ukraine. These data appear more realistic. The implausibility of the number of convicted women provided by the department is obvious.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time the department has provided incorrect data. At the beginning of 2012, false data regarding tuberculosis patients were reported. Only the obvious unreality of the data forced them to verify it.

In places of detention for minors, as of 01/07/2012, there were 1,342 people held. Six months ago, there were 1,459 people. It is worth noting that minors make up slightly more than half of this number — the rest are over 18 years old but have been left in the colony until the end of their sentence or until reaching the age of 21.

Over the half-year, 5,988 people were released from pre-trial detention centres, including 1,697 people upon completion of their sentence (2,650 people in the first half of 2011); for another 2,473 people (2,728 people in the first half of 2011), measures not related to deprivation of liberty were applied.

In connection with the change of preventive measure — 1,774 people.

The number of life-sentenced individuals increased by 42 people over the half-year (31 people in the first half of 2011) and amounted to 1,799 people as of 01/07/2012, including 21 women.

The dynamics of the number of individuals in the department’s institutions over the last five years are presented in Table 1.

Table 1

It is worth noting the trends in indicators reflecting morbidity and mortality. According to the penitentiary service’s data provided to “Donetsk Memorial”, 440 people died in the first half-year. However, in the previously mentioned Government Report to the UPR, it is stated that 537 people died in the first half of the year. Therefore, it is likely that incorrect data was provided specifically to “Donetsk Memorial”.

In any case, the mortality rate in 2012 is at a level noticeably higher than in 2007–2010 (when there were 365–410 cases per half-year).

Very alarming is the further increase in suicide cases — there were 32 in the first half-year. Calculated per 1,000 prisoners on an annual basis, this means 0.42 cases, whereas during 2008–2010, this indicator was 0.27–0.30. That is, the number of suicides has increased by one and a half times.

The trend towards a decrease in patients with the active form of tuberculosis has also ceased; their number increased by 185 people over the half-year (+3.8%). On the other hand, for the first time in a decade, the number of HIV-positive individuals has decreased — over the half-year, their number dropped from 6,910 to 6,347 people (-8.15%).

Table 2

Morbidity and mortality in the Department’s institutions

Under the supervision of 703 subdivisions of the criminal-executive inspection, there are 149,574 people (as of 01/02/2012, there were 168,024 people) sentenced to criminal punishments not related to deprivation of liberty and administrative penalties.

Among the innovations in the penitentiary service’s statistics for 2012 is the cessation of calculating the results of complaint reviews. While previously, besides the number of complaints submitted, the number of those confirmed (at the level of 1–2% of the number submitted) was provided, now the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine (DPTsU) has reported that 196 complaints were received in the first half-year, but the results of the reviews are unknown. One can only imagine that the data are, in fact, probably very unsightly.

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