Foreign persons deprived of liberty in Uruguayan prisons. Profiles, needs and vulnerabilities

The foreign population deprived of liberty, as a particularly vulnerable group, is an issue that has been the subject of recommendations at international and regional levels. Among these, the fact that they should receive treatment that takes into account their specific needs and that all inmates are guaranteed equal opportunities regardless of their national status stands out. The current foreign population deprived of liberty in the Uruguayan penitentiary system amounts to 339 out of a total of 14,231, that is, 2.4% of the total number of inmates (INR, 2022). Although the figure is not highly significant in the total number of prisoners, it is for the authorities of the National Rehabilitation Institute (INR) and the Specific Program for the Attention of the Foreign and Migrant Population (PROEM), who express the need to know this population and its characteristics, vulnerabilities and specific needs in greater depth. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to provide a broad and global understanding of the reality of foreigners deprived of their liberty in Uruguayan penitentiary centers, aiming at making recommendations that can help the INR and the PROEM to intervene more effectively in this topical and complex issue. Although, to address these new dimensions, there is a wide specialized literature from international and regional organizations linked to the study of the situation of prisoners in general and foreigners in particular, along with academic research works, the local literature is very scarce. The methodological approach to be applied in this research is of a mixed nature, that is, quantitative and qualitative at the same time. The aforementioned methodological approach will be accompanied by research techniques such as: bibliographic sources, secondary statistical sources, survey, database, in-depth interviews, focus groups and content analysis.