Joran van der Sloot, infamously known as the top suspect in the disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway, is now being held at Miguel Castro Castro – a maximum security prison on the outskirts of Lima – on charges of murdering 21-year old Stephany Flores Ramirez in a Peruvian hotel.
We’d like to believe courts and juries are the ones deciding his punishment, but the unfortunate reality is that prisoners and even prison officials are often the ones in charge, especially in places like Peru.
But if van der Sloot is found guilty, the maximum sentence he could receive will be 35 years, with the opportunity for parole after seven to 17 years. Given his notoriety, in addition to being held in Peruvian lock down, there are several reasons any prison time will be an incredibly tough time for van der Sloot.
– Prison conditions: A recent exclusive video sneak peek inside van der Sloot’s cell revealed conditions very unlike anything he has experienced before. After growing up the son of a wealthy judge and lawyer in Aruba, now van der Sloot sleeps on a twin mattress in a single cell and makes use of the the hole in the ground as his bathroom facilities.
– Prison inmates: Michael Griffith, a senior partner at the International Legal Defense Counsel, has said the Miguel Castro Castro prison is among the most dangerous prison facilities in the world. In fact, a new warden recently took over operations, but was killed his first day on the job. It’s also well known that prisoners with money have access to cell phones, illegal drugs, and meals prepared outside the prison. Conditions are poor to extremely harsh for most of the prisoners who lack funds.
– Prison guards: Over the past decade hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against guards of Castro Castro for physical abuse. The details reveal that more than 42 inmates have died, nearly 200 suffered serious injuries and another 300 faced cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. Another report on human rights conditions in Peru from the US Department of State showed that prison guards received little or no training or supervision. Corruption was a serious problem, and some guards cooperated with criminal bosses who oversaw the smuggling of guns and drugs into prisons.
– Solitary confinement: Currently, van der Sloot is being held in a private wing of Castro Castro prison in solitary confinement. Being that it may be too dangerous to have him join the regular prison population, spending each and every day alone in a steel cell has its own risks. A recent study from The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, reported: “Isolation can be psychologically harmful to any prisoner, with the nature and severity of the impact depending on the individual, the duration, and particular conditions (e.g., access to natural light, books, or radio). Psychological effects can include anxiety, depression, anger, cognitive disturbances, perceptual distortions, obsessive thoughts, paranoia, and psychosis.”
– Possible move to Lurigancho: While Castro Castro is one of the toughest prisons, there is a possibility van der Sloot could be moved to an even more dangerous facility – Lurigancho. Also in Peru, the prison was built for 3600 
inmates but now houses nearly 10,000, with only 100 unarmed guards. To control the prisoners the authorities have handed over the running of the prison to a council of inmate leaders. Griffith offers another description: “They don’t have beds, they go to the bathroom on the floor and the showers run once a week for 15 minutes. Fifty percent of the inmates have AIDS or tuberculosis, and you can die from eating the food.”
What are your thoughts on van der Sloot being held at Castro Castro prison?
(photo: National Geographic World’s Toughest Prisons)
6 comments
jill
Karma........enough said prayers to the family of which he took there daughter. He's a monster and he's where he belongs.
ajesa
If he is guilty more than likely he is was the killer on the run thats what happened to the rich kid that never had to work for anything.he should have not gotten off for the first murder the first time but, thats what his wealthy parents money bought him.now his mother living a life of torment greiving over her spoiled baby that cant do any wrong He getting what he deserve lets how tuff he is now or how much his rich daddy can buy him who knows how many unclaim murders he might have committed.
Hannelore Maxwell
A true fluff piece gathered together from other articles and from publicly available information. Whatever happened to investigative journalism?
ann1938
I personally feel he should be transferred to Lurigancho, where he will learn to feel the terror his victims have felt. He has been a spoiled mamababy all of his rotten little life, and he obviously has no sense of responsbility nor remorse for his actions. If he isn't transferred out, then let him go hungry at Castro Castro. His mother is claiming he has mental problems and needs treatment. I'm sure his parents were told when he was a child there were problems, but they covered up for him and this is the result. This is a perfect example of what happens when parents refuse to think their little darling can be fawed.
Livelifetothefullest
I think that Michael Griffith should become his attorney and he should stay at castro castro for the the judge's term in a confined cell.
Jill Andrews
Great article