×
You've used up your 3 free articles for this month. Subscribe today.
Human Rights Groups Condemn Worsening Conditions in Venezuelan Prisons
As long ago as 1997, the advocacy group Human Rights Watch issued a report that characterized conditions in Venezuelan prisons as “violat[ing] both Venezuelan law and international human rights standards.” The group pointed to dangerous overcrowding as perhaps the greatest fundamental problem in that country’s prisons.
Recent reports, …
Full article and associated cases available to subscribers.
As a digital subscriber to Prison Legal News, you can access full text and downloads for this and other premium content.
Already a subscriber? Login
More from this issue:
- Settlement Ends Montgomery, Alabama Debtor’s Prison, by David Reutter
- Union Supply Overcharges Sales Tax on Holiday Packages for TN Prisoners
- Staff-on-Prisoner Sexual Abuse Persists in New York Prisons, by David Reutter
- Ninth Circuit: Appeal Challenges Probation Revocation for Exercising First Amendment Rights
- Illinois: Exonerated Sex Offender Sues for Wrongful Conviction, by Derek Gilna
- Judge to Recommend Whether to Exonerate “San Antonio Four” of Sexual Assault Convictions, by Matthew Clarke
- $350,000 Settlement for Estate of Prisoner Murdered at Georgia Prison
- Wisconsin DOC Pays Former Prisoner for Miscalculating Sentence, by Gary Hunter
- Vermont’s Policy of Sending Prisoners Out-of-State Found Unconstitutional, by David Reutter
- Minnesota Civil Detainee Raped by Cellmate Receives $203,000 Settlement, by David Reutter
- $725,000 Award for Eye Loss Caused by Guard’s Assault, by David Reutter
- Human Rights Groups Condemn Worsening Conditions in Venezuelan Prisons, by Matthew Clarke
- Former Washington Prisoner Exonerated, Receives Compensation, Arrested Again
- From Jailer to Jailed: Former NYPD Boss Urges Prison Reform, by Christopher Zoukis
- Civil Rights Advocates Laud Healthcare Settlement with Arizona Prison System, by Joe Watson
- New York Prisoner’s Retaliation Claim Nets $147,000 in Damages, Fees and Costs, by David Reutter
- In Past Three Years, Governors in Three States Declare Moratorium on Executions, by Christopher Zoukis
- $2,250 Jury Award in Arkansas Prisoner’s Excessive Force Case, by Matthew Clarke
- California: Settlement in Race-based Prison Lockdown Suit; $2.375 Million in Fees and Costs, by Lonnie Burton
- European Human Rights Court Finds UK Prisoners Wrongfully Denied Vote, by Derek Gilna
- Louisiana Jail Detainee’s Death Leads to FBI Investigation, Charges
- Texas Prisons to Allow In-person Wedding Ceremonies after Prohibition on Proxy Marriages
- PLN Settles Lawsuit against Florida Jail’s Postcard-only Policy
- Use of Pseudonym Merited to Protect Prisoner from Victimization
- Oregon DOC Envelope Art Ban Violates First Amendment, by Mark Wilson
- $250,000 Settlement for Estate of PA Prisoner Killed by Mentally Ill Cellmate, by David Reutter
- Florida Jail Ends Postcard-Only Policy as Part of Settlement, by David Reutter
- Environmental Problems Taint Plan for New Prison in Utah, by Panagioti Tsolkas
- The Slow, Painful Death of Bail in New York City, by Jarrett Murphy
- California’s Jail-building Boom: What Comes After Mass Incarceration? Local Incarceration., by Anat Rubin
- Male Guards’ Videotaping of Female Prisoners Being Strip Searched Results in $675,000 Settlement, by David Reutter
- Supreme Court Upholds Oklahoma’s Use of New Execution Drug, by Derek Gilna
- Police State: How America’s Cops Get Away with Murder (Book Review), by Bill Trine
- Federal Judges Very Rarely Sanctioned for Misconduct, by Matthew Clarke
- $3 Million Settlement in Death of Mentally Ill Prisoner; Three Guards Indicted, by Matthew Clarke
- Florida’s Department of Corrections: A Culture of Corruption, Abuse and Deaths, by David Reutter
- Will Lawsuits and Exposés Lead to Reform of Florida’s Brutal Prisons?, by Laura Cepero
- Sex Offenders Rally to Fight Discriminatory Laws, by Mark Wilson
- Computer Risk Assessments Gaining Popularity in Granting Paroles, by Derek Gilna
- Supreme Court Sets Aside Florida’s Death Penalty Sentencing Procedure, by Derek Gilna
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- News in Brief
More from Matthew Clarke:
- Federal Court Grants HRDC Preliminary Injunction Against Mail Censorship at New Mexico Jail, May 1, 2026
- Faced with Record-Breaking Jail Deaths, L.A. County Supervisors Tell Sheriff’s Department to Improve Access to Naloxone, Camera Monitoring, and Security Checks at California Jail, May 1, 2026
- Federal Court Places Medical Care in Arizona Prisons Under Receivership, May 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Liability but Reverses Damages in Lawsuit Over Illinois Warden and Investigator Using Prisoner as Bait to Catch Staff Member Raping Her, May 1, 2026
- Texas Moves to Restrict Cashless Bond and Reverse Federal Court-Ordered Misdemeanor Bail Reform, May 1, 2026
- In Texas, Harris County Commissioners Approve $1.2 Million for Fourth Study of Jail Since 2020 After Dozens of Abuse Allegations, April 1, 2026
- Texas Attorney General Clarifies Scope of Statute Requiring Outside Agency Investigation of Jail Deaths, April 1, 2026
- D.C. Judge Blocks Transfer of Biden-Commuted Federal Death Row Prisoners to “Supermax,” Citing Lack of Meaningful Due Process, April 1, 2026
- Eighth Circuit Revives Lawsuit Over Iowa Jail Detainee’s Suicide, April 1, 2026
- Groundbreaking Statistical Study of Pregnant Texas Jail Detainees Finds Over 400 Monthly, April 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- ACLU Threatens New Lawsuit After Indiana County’s Repeated Failures to Abide by 17-Year-Old Settlement Agreement, May 1, 2026. Overcrowding, Exercise, Sanitation, Bedding, Settlements.
- Faced with Record-Breaking Jail Deaths, L.A. County Supervisors Tell Sheriff’s Department to Improve Access to Naloxone, Camera Monitoring, and Security Checks at California Jail, May 1, 2026. Drug Overdose, Overcrowding, Sanitation, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness).
- “Large Fight” Broke Out at Alaska Prison After Downsizing Effort, April 1, 2026. Transfers, Cost of Prison Systems, Totality of Conditions, Failure to Protect (General), Overcrowding.
- Houston Jail Renews $38 Million Contract to Outsource Detainees to Private Lockups, April 1, 2026. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Failure to Treat, Overcrowding, Staffing, Medical Neglect/Malpractice.
- Montana Switches to Sending Prisoners to a Private Prison in Mississippi, April 1, 2026. Out of State Transfers, Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Overcrowding.
- More Measles Cases Detected at Jails in New Mexico and Texas, April 1, 2026. Private Prisons, Contagious Disease -- Misc., Overcrowding, Jail Specific, Immigration Detention.
- Idaho DOC Transfers Prisoners to Arizona Facility Run by CoreCivic, April 1, 2026. Out of State Transfers, Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Overcrowding.
- Colorado Law Intended to Reduce Prison Population Hasn’t Improved Conditions, March 1, 2026. Overcrowding, Parole, halfway houses, Reduction of Prison Population.
- Report Finds Persistent Overcrowding Drives Cascade of Problems at Atlanta’s Fulton County Jail, March 1, 2026. Overcrowding, Staffing, Pretrial Detention and Detainees, Bail/Pretrial Release, Indictment/Information.
- Georgia Grand Jury Scolds Augusta Jail for Overcrowding Days Before Violent Detainee Assault, March 1, 2026. Private Contractors, Failure to Protect (General), Overcrowding, Staffing, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness).

