Brazil: New prison data system becomes operational
The National Penitentiary Department's Information System, which maps the situation of the country's prisons, will begin to be fed data this Monday.
The National Penitentiary Department's Information System (SisDepen), which maps the situation of the country's prisons, will begin to be fed data this Monday (Feb. 20). It has been in operation since Thursday (16).
Developed by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, SisDepen has been an unprecedented development that will fill a gap for a national prison database, according to the ministry.
The system was designed to collect standardized information, support prison management, and serve as a public policy driver for the country's prison system. It will also enable users to monitor custodial, jail terms, and commitment execution.
Feeding the system requires a broadband internet connection and modern equipment, especially at prison administrations. But with many states lacking this structure, DEPEN has procured 1,028 computers, which are being donated to 12 states in the Northeast and South regions.
Data gathering
The data is grouped into four modules. The first one, which will be fed as of Monday (20), gathers overall information on Brazil's prison system.
The second module, which is slated to begin gathering data in the next few days, will basically consist of a national registry of inmates, including data on the sentence terms and type of correctional arrangement. It allows nominal identification of prisoners and tells if they are in pre-trial custody or if their final, unappealable sentences have been passed.
The third module will consist of procedural data on criminal enforcement and should interoperate with the National Council of Justice's Unified Enforcement Data System.
The fourth module—which will be developed beginning in March—will provide prison administrators with a management tool.
Translated by Mayra Borges
Fonte: Brazil: New prison data system becomes operational
