Prison regulations provide for collective enclosure, but individual enclosure may be considered for some prisoners.

Defendants and convicts are placed in the same dormitories.

The Ouagadougou Detention and Correction Center (MACO) has a three-storey detention building nicknamed “the great boat”.

The prison administration does not provide adequate food rations.

It is very important for prisoners to be placed in institutions close to their families since it is the relatives who complement the needs of the prisoners. When the cost of travel is too high for his or her relatives, the prisoner finds himself without resources. This is the case for minors detained in the center of Laye which is located outside Ouagadougou.

The NGO Terre des Hommes Italy and confessional chaplaincies can sometimes help the poorest and most isolated prisoners.

Health and social workers depend on the Ministry of Health.

As of the 31 December 2015, the Prison Service employed 30 nurses and 40 social workers. Social workers were mainly responsible for monitoring imprisoned juveniles. They take steps to transfer young people to the social reintegration centers. They are in charge of accompanying them to their homes upon their release with the possible support of an NGO.

The social service of the Ouagadougou Detention and Correction Center (Maison d’arrêt et de correction de Ouagadougou, MACO) has two persons.

The prison administration publishes little data on the psychiatric issue in prisons. Prisoners suffering from mental illness are escorted to the Psychiatric Center of the Yalgado Hospital.

A psychologist offers consultations once a week at the Laye Juvenile Detention Center. The Ouagadougou Detention and Correction Center (MACO) includes a health center with nurses employed by the Ministry of Justice. One nurse and two social workers work there. A doctor intervenes there voluntarily from time to time.

Civic education and awareness sessions on sexually transmitted infections are organized for minors in the center of Laye.

The prisoners spend the day in the courtyard of the prison.It is a small place, not suitable for long walks.

Prisoners participate in the penitentiary production. The commercialization of goods (agriculture, carpentry, etc.) or services (shoemaking, laundry, etc.) that they produce constitutes an income for the prison. The benefits are distributed as follows:

• One fifth returns to the prison staff, the auditor and the members of the management committee
• Two-fifths return to prisoners
• Two fifths are used to finance the production units.

In 2016, President Kaboré declared that detainees constituted a great economic burden for the State. As such, they are expected to participate graciously to the functioning of the prison to amortize the cost of prison policy, such as those related to household, cooking, repairs, even public utility service for the communes.

Various professional training courses are given to prisoners, such as automobile mechanics, carpentry, welding, plumbing or electricity.

The prison administration maintains partnerships with the structures such as the National Center for Scientific and Technological Research (Centre National de Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, CNRST), the Center for the Promotion of Village Aviculture (Centre de Promotion de l’Aviculture Villageoise, CPAVI) in the context of the development of penitentiary production activities.

A study conducted in 2015 indicated that 2,937 detainees have been literate, initiated or framed for welding, carpentry, sewing, gardening, computing or breeding workshops.

With a view to reintegration, the Ouagadougou Detention and Correction Center proposes workshops of bakery and gardening for the adults. Juvenile prisoners can participate in welding, mechanics, carpentry, electricity and sewing workshops.

Juvenile detainees in reintegration centers are trained to various trades such as mechanic, electrician, tailor, etc. They may also attend school, but this is less common. On average, one child a year reaches school in the center of Laye.

Some prisons include churches and mosques in their compound. When this is not the case, spaces are designated for prayer or worship. All detainees have access to churches and mosques without distinction of the quarter of origin in the prison.

Prayer groups are organized for prisoners. Religious speakers in prisons are held from saying anything that may be harmful to prison security. Particular attention is paid to prison sermons to avoid dangerous indoctrination.

More than 30 organizations ensure and influence the functioning of prisons.

Associations and NGOs:

• African Penitentiary Association
• Prisoners Without Borders
• Terre des Hommes

Denominational structures:

• Protestant and Catholic chaplaincies,
• Prison Brotherhood (Fraternité des prisons),
• Muslim community,
• Saint Egidio,
• Rights of convicts etc.

The African Penitentiary Association organizes awareness sessions on AIDS and the rights of prisoners. It produces programs in 10 national languages and organizes “tchat” with the prisoners.

Not available

In 2015, 19 escapes were registered compared to 42 in 2014 and 44 in 2013.

Not available