Freedom and Death Inside the Jail.pdf - The Action Program for ...

Firewood: The Root Causes of Problems
By their appearance alone, some people already judge them as guilty of whatever crime they are charged with.
Inmates are actually required to wear a yellow shirt during hearings so they can be easily identified in the courtoom
by escort officers. But some inmates feel that wearing the yellow uniform puts a stigma on them. They say that
some people in the courtroom have the impression that all of them in yellow are criminals.
For inmates who are nursing boils, attending their hearings is doubly difficult. For one, they cannot walk properly.
For another, if they have boils in their buttocks, they find it hard to sit properly and comfortably. Because of their
medical condition, some inmates reportedly admit guilt to an offense out of the desperate need to be transferred
to Muntinlupa where, they hear, the facilities are so much better than those in Quezon City Jail.
In sum, inmates feel insecure while making their case before the court, especially when they have to take the
witness stand. They are ashamed to be seen by their family and relatives in such a pitiable condition. They are
afraid to ask questions to their lawyers and court personnel lest they be taken as being pesky. They tremble at the
sight of the judge and the fiscal, knowing that in these people lies their fate. Most of all, they feel frustrated that
they barely understand the proceedings because the lawyers keep on talking in English.
SLOW DISPENSATION OF JUSTICE : IMPLICATIONS ON JAIL MANAGEMENT
Lengthy court procedures have resulted in many inmates staying in
Quezon City Jail much longer than what the law prescribes. While
waiting for the court’s decision on their cases, inmates cough up
money for legal fees and for self-sustenance. As a result, they
are forced to join the black market inside the Jail to generate
income.
The Records Section of an RTC in Quezon City
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