Doubly detained: Conditions and rights of Haitians incarcerated in the Dominican Republic

 In 2003, the Dominican Republic launched one of the most ambitious reforms in Latin America for its prison system. Although conditions have improved in the so-called new prisons, there is significant variation in prisoners’ conditions and experiences – including variation by race and national origin. Approximately 10 % of people incarcerated in the Dominican Republic are foreigners, the vast majority of whom are Haitian nationals. Due largely to diplomatic disputes over legal status of Haitian migrants in the Dominican Republic, Haitian prisoners face additional challenges, including lack of legal documentation, poverty, little access to lawyers, and language differences. This article is based on data from a survey conducted in 2017-2018 in 17 Dominican prisons, with a sample of over 1,200 survey responses. Over 100 interviews were also conducted during this period. After analyzing the conditions of Haitians incarcerated in Dominican prisons, compared to Dominicans and to other foreign nationals, this article explores the obstacles and opportunities raised by the strategies adopted by the Haitian and Dominican governments, in an effort to improving the conditions and due process rights for Haitians who are incarcerated.