Cambodia Prisons

Overview

Cambodian Prisons Department was civilianized and separated from the National Police Force following the issue of a Royal Decree in March 2000. The Department is an autonomous unit established under the General Administration Department of the Ministry of Interior. The Department is responsible for the management arrangements for the 22 municipal-provincial prisons and 3 National that range in capacity of less than 100 prisoners to in excess of 1200. At the end of July 2002, a total of 6128 prisoners (male and female, convicted and unconvicted, and young offenders (13 – 18 years) are currently held in custody a prisons. This represents at prison/ population ratio of 53.6 persons in custody per 100.000 people. There are no privately controlled prisons in Cambodia or a community corrections system as exists in other countries.

Administration support for provincial prisons is provided through the provincial/ municipal second Governors office. Prisons also have a requirement to report prison operational matter to the Head of the prisons Department based in Phnom Penh. National prisons are administered directly by the Prison Department. There are approximately 1700 persons employed in the prison system in operational, administrative, management or a medical support capacity. Prisoner to staffing ratio averages 3:1 across all prisons although the ratio varies from one prison to another.

The physical infrastructure of Cambodian prisons is in generally poor condition owing to the legacy of long decades of war where prisons have received little support or attention. In recent years, with international support from Australians Agency for International Development, five prisons have teen refurbished. Two new prisons have been built following arrangements to exchange land for construct building and facilities. A total of seventeen prisons require reconstruction or refurbishing.

Issue Effecting Corrections in the Kingdom of Cambodia

Cambodia’s prison system is changing, albeit slowly, to operate within the United Nations Minimum Standards and guidelines. The Ministry if Interior in consultation with other Government Ministries and Agencies is making some effort to replace old and antiquated prisons as referred to above. There are a number of other issues however that now impact of the operation of prison management within the country. Efforts of the National Police to reduce crime is leading to increased arrest, which coupled with the slow legal process in the courts, is creating overcrowding in prisons with an increase in detainees awaiting trial. The continued execution of the backlog of outstanding warrants is similarly increasing the workload of the courts. This has caused an increase in prisoner numbers at some of prisons. The lack of alternatives to imprisonment under existing laws also exacerbates this problem with prison terms the primary option for judges in sentencing convicted persons. The Royal Government is preparing a new Penal Code of 818 articles, to replace the temporary laws established during UNTAC period, that will provide for a range of new offences not previously covered in the laws. This will undoubtedly provide an increase strain on prisons with an anticipated increase in convictions of persons for crimes that historically have not been on the nations statute books.

To address these issues, the Royal Government of Cambodia’s is pursuing improvements in the legal and criminal justice sector through its reform agenda within the sector, continued support is being provided by a number of donor countries. This include Australia with a second five year phase of the Cambodia Criminal Justice Assistance Project, the French Government with support to developing criminal laws and a Royal School of Magistracy and the Japanese Government with assistance to the National Police and Ministry of Justice.