Haiti is facing a severe humanitarian, political, and security crisis, exacerbated by gang violence, entrenched poverty, and a series of natural disasters, including Hurricane Melissa. The country’s justice system is struggling to function effectively under these pressures, with cases delayed and 82 per cent of prisoners held in pre-trial detention. Many detainees are living in inhumane conditions, suffering from overcrowding, inadequate food, limited access to clean water, and insufficient medical care, which has resulted in numerous preventable deaths.
At the end of September 2025, Haitian prisons held over 7,200 men, women, boys, and girls, with convicted criminals often detained alongside those awaiting trial and children held with adults, violating international standards such as the Nelson Mandela Rules. Overcrowding is extreme in many facilities, with some accommodating three times their intended capacity. Gangs controlling urban areas and violent prison breakouts have further reduced the system’s capacity, leaving detainees exposed to substandard and dangerous living conditions.
The UN describes the situation in prisons as “subhuman and degrading.” Prisoners spend long hours in hot, cramped cells with little air, light, or sanitation, while food and water are often insufficient. Over the past three months, 52 people have died in detention from preventable diseases, worsened by poor nutrition and unhygienic conditions. Corruption and mismanagement have also diverted allocated prison budgets, worsening the humanitarian crisis.
A major cause of overcrowding is pre-trial detention. Many detainees, including those accused of minor offenses, spend months or years awaiting trial due to a dysfunctional court system. For example, one man reported waiting two years for trial over the alleged theft of two pairs of shoes. Police frequently arrest individuals en masse, detaining even those with no connection to the alleged crime.
Gang violence in Port-au-Prince has disrupted the justice system, as gangs control approximately 90 per cent of the city. Courts have been forced to close, slowing judicial proceedings. In March 2024, attacks on the National Penitentiary and Croix-des-Bouquets prison resulted in the escape of 4,600 inmates, including gang leaders, many of whom strengthened gang networks.
The UN, through its political mission BINUH, the Human Rights Office, and designated experts, has focused on supporting prison reform and improving detention conditions. Efforts include facilitating hearings within prisons to reduce pre-trial detention, providing training for police and prison staff, and rehabilitating facilities with essential infrastructure like latrines, water points, and ventilation systems. While the UN provides expertise and resources, sustainable reform ultimately depends on Haiti’s Ministry of Justice to implement structural improvements and ensure long-term results.
