Dominican Prison Authority Steps Up Fight Against Corruption

The Directorate General of Penitentiary and Correctional Services (DGSPC), the Dominican Republic’s prison authority, says it is escalating its campaign against corruption networks operating inside the country’s correctional system. The agency said it will continue conducting searches, security operations and judicial and administrative actions aimed at dismantling illicit structures and seizing drugs, phones and other prohibited items.

The announcement comes amid renewed scrutiny of conditions inside Dominican prisons, where authorities acknowledge that corruption has historically been a structural problem. The DGSPC said its strategy will extend beyond inmates to include relatives who assist illicit activity and prison employees suspected of participating in irregular practices.

Authority Says Prisoners Cannot Control Prison Operations

The DGSPC emphasized that inmates will not be allowed to exercise authority over prison officials. The agency stated that “there can be no prisoners giving orders to directors or commanders”, describing the restoration of institutional control as a central part of its efforts to address corruption.

The agency also said it will maintain permanent monitoring of prison personnel, with the stated goal of identifying and removing irregular practices throughout the system. The review will be conducted “area by area and center by center,” according to the DGSPC.

During the first half of this year, more than 50 prison employees were reportedly removed from the payroll, referred to prosecutors or arrested in cases involving alleged corruption, according to figures provided by the authority. The statement did not provide a further breakdown of those cases.

Searches Target Drugs, Phones and Other Contraband

The crackdown includes searches and operations inside correctional facilities intended to locate prohibited items and disrupt illicit networks. Drugs and mobile phones are among the items the authority is seeking to confiscate as part of the ongoing operations.

The DGSPC also warned that relatives of inmates could face legal action if they attempt to bring drugs or other prohibited items into prisons or collaborate in acts of violence or criminal activity. That approach broadens the focus of the campaign beyond prison walls to people who may facilitate illicit activity from outside the facilities.

Recent Prison Incidents Add Pressure

The warning follows several recent incidents in Dominican correctional centers, including an operation at CCR-XII La Isleta in Moca, a city in Espaillat province, where four inmates sustained minor injuries during a search operation.

The DGSPC’s latest position indicates that security operations and disciplinary measures will remain part of its response as it seeks to regain tighter control over prison facilities. The agency has not indicated that the campaign will be limited to a specific group of centers, instead describing the effort as a continuing process across the penitentiary system.

For the Dominican Republic, the campaign places institutional control and prison security at the center of an effort to address corruption that authorities themselves describe as longstanding. The DGSPC says it will continue monitoring personnel and pursuing judicial and administrative measures as it works to dismantle illicit networks within the correctional system.