08/07/09
National Penitentiary Service Authority Created

The creation of the National Authority for Penitentiary Services (DNSP) was announced today by the Minister of People’s Power for the Interior and Justice, Tareck El Aissami. Attorney and criminologist Consuelo Cerrada Mendez was named director of the DNSP during a meeting of the Superior Penitentiary Council.
 
Minister El Aissami announced that the creation of the DNSP is framed by the organic restructuring of the office of the Interior and Justice, “in the new vision of giving better treatment to the population deprived of its liberty. It is no longer called the Custodial and Inmate Rehabilitation Authority, which is a pejorative and stigmatizing term. That language was part of a culture of disdain for some Venezuelans, who at one time committed some type of offense.”
 
“We are positioned to create the conditions for these human beings return to life with their families and communities,” expressed the Minister.
 
The declaration by the Ministry of the Interior and Justice was made from the Attorney General´s office. The regular meeting of the Superior Penitentiary Council took place Wednesday and is moving forward with the presence of the representatives of all branches of Venezuelan government.
 
The recently-named national director of the DNSP is a cum laude graduate of the University of the Andes in both criminology and law school.
 
Radio Nacional de Venezuela, Press Unit of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the United States of America