Bolivia has a national police force of 31,000 officers that is responsible for internal security and maintaining law and order. Unlike in most Latin American countries, the Bolivian police force always has been responsible to the national government rather than to state or local officials. The 1950 Organic Law of Police and Carabineers officially separated the police from the military. Frequently, however, the national police call upon the military for assistance in quelling riots and civil protests. ^[1] Prisons in Bolivia are guarded by police officers rather than a civilian force as in many western countries. Funding for the prison system is low and as a result the police only patrol the perimeter of the prisons, internal security is generally managed by the inmates. In most large Bolivian prisons the inmates elect 'delegados' or heads of departments, for example education, discipline, workshops, etc to maintain order. Due to the lack of funding inmates have to buy or rent their cell space and pay for meals, hence the majority of prisoners have to undertake some form of work once inside. In the department of Cochabamba, an organisation called Ayni Ruway provides means for the prisoners to earn a living by providing services like carpentry and metal workshops, along with educational classes and computer training. In the mens' prisons, inmates are permited to live there with their wives and children, who are allowed to leave the prison during the day to attend school or work. As a result of this and the lack of funding, many prisons are acutely overcrowded. In the Cochabamba department the only purpose built prison is El Abra, the maximum security prison, the other main prisons in town are generally housed in converted old warehouses and are often inadequate.

[edit] Historical secret police organizations

• Servicio Especial de Seguridad (SES) (Special Security Service)

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Text used in this cited section originally came from: Bolivia (Jan 2006) profile from the Library of Congress Country Studies project.

[edit] References

•  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Library of Congress Country Studies.

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