An overview of prisons, prisoners and international human rights standards

Abstract

This article examines the principal international human rights standards that exist for the treatment of prisoners. Given the increase in the use of imprisonment in many countries, the administration of prisons poses certain challenges. The author addresses this issue by first examining the purposes of imprisonment, which is the only way to evaluate if the penitentiary system is achieving the goals that have been set for it. The author then analyzes five elements that must be taken into account when complying with international standards regarding the treatment of prisoners: living conditions for prisoners; the contact that prisoners have with their families and other persons; special conditions that apply to incarcerated persons according to specific situations (gender, nationality, age, illness, etc.); prison personnel and independent oversight of prisons. In the end, what all of these standards have in common is the importance of upholding human dignity when dealing with incarcerated persons.