TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT OF CHILDREN IN UKRAINE

Torture and ill-treatment of children in Ukrainekeeping in the investigative isolation ward makes 8–10 months, minimum —1 month, maximum — 16 months. Even the voluntary plea typically does notstop the pre-trial detention. The pre-trial procedures are intended to “re-educate”juveniles, which is quite dubious; the results includee health disorders ofvarying severity, post-traumatic conditions and social maladjustment, includingthe adoption of the criminal subculture.4) Physical violence in correctional facilities, as compared to investigativeisolation wards, is much less common, since it has much less systemic reasons;living conditions are described by respondents as significantly better than inthe investigative isolation wards, in general satisfactory. The disadvantages ofdaily life in the colonies are mentioned in detail in Section IV.5) Special mention as a source of high risks of violence deserves procedureof transfer among institutions, reserved investigative isolation wards andvehicles for transit prisoners.1887.3.2 Causes of the widespread violence and btutal treatment1) In the first place among the causes of violence one should includeindicators of crime detection. The personnel of the Ministry of Internal Affairsare supposed to bring up quantitative indicators; the easiest way tofix it is to use force. An alternative to physical violence is psychologicalpressure during interrogation that requires a better professional training,more experience. However the psychological pressure is the most humanealternative for an investigator in modern Ukraine. As one of the invitedexperts put it, “you ain’t supposed tu use sleuthhounds though.” There aremany ways to detect a crime; but given such workload, if you want thosequantitative indicators here and now, you resort to psychological or physicalpressure.This situation is supported by the current practice of Ukrainian courts,where the plea is still considered the “queen of evidence.” The case, in whichthere is the admission of guilt made by the defendant with violations ofprocedure leads to almost automatically to a guilty verdict. Theoreticallythe prosecutor’s supervision could help, but prosecutors rarely come to assistance.2) The low level of law enforcement officers and employees of the penitentiarysystem, their inability to work differently, or desire to simplify their