Prisons are an essential part of the global justice system.
Inside these facilities, criminals are barred from interacting with the public and given the punishment they deserve.
Sometimes, though, what happens in some prisons is quite shocking.
A view inside Alcatraz prison. Photo: pixabay.com, @MarcelloRabozziSource: UGC
The world’s most cruel prisons often break even the hardest of criminals.
What are the most brutal prisons in the world?
What are the worst prisons in the world?
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Here is a look at the worst prisons in the world in 2022.
La Sante Prison, France
The conditions at thisParis-based facilityare some of the worst in the world.
In 2002, 122 inmates committed suicide, followed by another 73 in 2003.
A view inside a prison cell. Photo: pexels.com, @RODNAE ProductionsSource: UGC
Tadmor Military Prison, Syria
Located in Palmyra, Syria, Tadmor is one of the mostoppressive jailsglobally.
Amnesty International reported that every aspect of the facility’s design was done to dehumanize inmates.
Guards have the freedom to do anything, including killing.
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The lucky group sleeps on beds while the others use a hammock in the jail corridors.
Mendoza Prison, Argentina
This facility in Argentina is overcrowded, with five inmates sharing a four-square meter cell.
Inmates haveno accessto medication and are only seen by a doctor upon their death.
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The prison is located a few miles outside the country’s capital city Caracas.
Inmates are subject to overcrowding, chronic diseases, malnutrition, incessant guard brutality, and untellable torture.
Inside a single-person prison cell. Photo: pexels.com, @Ron LachSource: UGC
The facility also has rampant cases of rat infestation, making one’s sentence many times worse.
111 inmates were shot dead in a 1992 prison massacre.
The health situation was also terrible, with one in every five inmates being diagnosed with HIV.
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The inmates are often tortured and malnourished and made to toil in mines and fields 12 hours a day.
Attica Correctional Facility, USA
This IS maximum-security correctional facility for males.
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20.
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The Gldani Prison, Georgia
The Gldani Prison was once a place where human torture was normal.
The worldwide broadcast resulted in protests being orchestrated by students and the general public of Georgia.
San Quentin State Prison, USA
The San Quentin State Prison is theoldest prisonin California.
An inmate behind bars. Photo: pexels.com @RODNAE ProductionsSource: UGC
Over the years, it has been home to a mind-numbing number of rapists and serial killers.
Today, it is the only jail in California that has a gas chamber and death row.
In the same year, more than 100 inmates were injured as a result of some violent racially-motivated attacks.
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For several years, the facility has been synonymous with violence.
Instead, the biggest problem at the facility has something to do with the guards.
The expose did not do much good to the situation at the facility, though.
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Most of the inmates were also diagnosed with different mental illnesses.
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The inmates reportedly even have the occasional visit from ‘attorneys’ and ‘nurses.’
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The facility was initially designed for only 2,500 inmates, but now it holds more than 11,000.
ADX is said to be escape-proof and housed more than 340 prisoners as of July 2021.
All inmates are kept under 24-hour surveillance and 23-hour confinement.
A book atop a prison cell bed. Photo: pexels.com @RODNAE ProductionsSource: UGC
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Bang Kwang Central Prison, Thailand
There are very few jails with conditions worse thanBang Kwang CentralPrison.
The facility was initially designed to hold a maximum of 3,500 inmates.
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Today, the number of inmates is way over the initially intended number.
With more than 8,000 inmates, the facility has become extremely overcrowded.
More than 10% of the inmates are on death row.
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Arthur Road Jail, India
This facility is also known as theMumbai Central Prison.
It is Mumbai’s largest and oldest correctional facility and is known for being highly overcrowded and understaffed.
Gang wars are the norm of the day and have occasionally resulted in inmates' injury and even deaths.
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Most of the inmates are suspects of the infamous 1994 genocide.
The inmates have no choice but to stand barefoot on the filthy ground.
A top view of prison cells. Photo: pexels.com @XiaoyiSource: UGC
Nearly half a dozen deaths happen every day as a result.
Inmates have also been said to kill and eat each other.
Petak Island Prison, Russia
The jail housed the ‘enemies of the revolution’ during Joseph Stalin’s reign.
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As a result, the facility is widely known as the ‘Alcatraz of Russia.’
It is located in the Tverskoy District of Moscow.
It was built during the Soviet period and housed numerous political inmates.
A guard standing outside a prison cell. Photo: pexels.com @Ron LachSource: UGC
The conditions inside the prison are less than inhuman.
For example, a 10-person jail cell now holds 100 inmates.
Some of the inmates include paedophiles, cannibals, and terrorists.
A promotional poster of the Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons show. Photo: @prisonsnetflixSource: Instagram
Ciudad Barrios Prison, El Salvador
TheCiudad Barrios Prisonis home to members of the notorious MS-13 gang.
Shockingly, the guard-inmate ratio is an appalling 1:50.
This means the inmates technically initiate the prison whichever way they hey.
The facility was commissioned in 1989 and sits on a 275-acre piece of land.
The facility has two distinct wings, the general population and the dreaded Security Housing Unit (SHU).
There are close to zero chances of escaping thismaximum-security prison.
This is largely attributable to the huge body of water surrounding most of the facility.
The riot saw 56 inmates lose their lives.
La Modelo, Columbia
La Modelo is a prison in Bogota, Columbia.
The space separating the two wings is a battleground renowned for massacres when members of the two wings fight.
In 2020, ariot broke out, resulting in more than 20 inmate deaths.
Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, Cuba
Few jails have been mentioned in human rights discussions as much asGuantanamo Bayhas.
Also known as ‘the rock,’ Alcatraz was one of the scariest jails in the world.
The strong currents and icy waters surrounding the jail made it almost impossible to escape.
Those who tried were either caught or drowned in the ocean.
Which country has the harshest prisons?
Corruption, psychological destruction, infections, extreme cold, and brutality are prevalent.
Who is the most dangerous prisoner in the world?
Hewent to jailfor a single murder in 1974 but has committed three more while serving time in jail.
His victims were child molesters and abusers, as he had experienced abuse as a child.
What is the biggest jail in the world?
Rikers Island in New York City is themost extensive prison, covering 413 acres.
Raphael Rowe andInside the World’s Toughest Prisons
Raphael Rowe is a world-famousBritish broadcast journalist.
He spent 12 years in a maximum-security prison following a wrongful conviction.
After his release, his experience inspired him to start the hugely popularNetflix showInside the World’s Toughest Prisons.
The show explores the human side of prisoners who have committed the most heinous crimes.
These facilities represent the worst side of the justice systems in different parts of the world.
The embattled Grammy Award winner is renowned for his numerous hits, includingGotham CityandI Believe I Can Fly.
Recognized for her exceptional talent, she clinched the Writer of the Year Award.
Beyond her professional endeavours, Alice is an engaged member of the Rotaract Club of Kabete.
She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle.
Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University.
She has more than five years in writing.
In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024.
Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.
