International
On any given day, an estimated three million people around the world are behind bars awaiting trial. Many will spend months and even years in detention—without being tried or found guilty—languishing under worse conditions than people convicted of crimes and sentenced to prison. Moreover, many of the social ills that attend unnecessary pretrial detention are exacerbated in countries plagued by corrupt justice systems and unstable governments.
As such, the Pretrial Justice Institute is seeking to partner with international agencies to improve pretrial release processes around the world. In particular PJI is pleased to participate in the Open Society Justice Initiative's Global Campaign for Pretrial Justice. This campaign seeks to promote alternatives to pretrial detention and expand access to legal aid services, among other things.
Update: Global Campaign for Pretrial Justice Gains Momentum at UN Crime Conference
Forty Open Society Foundations partners and grantees participated in the 12th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Salvador, Brazil, in April. Throughout the conference, the Justice Initiative drew attention to the frequently neglected plight of pretrial detainees, who in many countries form the majority of the prison population. Pretrial detainees often face far worse conditions than convicted prisoners, yet have never appeared before a judge. Some pretrial detainees have even been in custody for longer than the maximum sentence they could receive if convicted. Holding millions of people in pretrial detention affects not only the detainees, but also their families, neighboring communities, and the victims of crime. Together with partners in the Global Campaign for Pretrial Justice, the Open Society Justice Initiative highlighted the nexus between pretrial detention and corruption, torture, public health, and socio-economic development in several panels. Partners spoke about innovative projects ranging from paralegal services in Malawi, Kenya, and Bangladesh to pretrial services in Mexico that could help solve these challenges.