Penitentiary Unit No. 3, for men, is located in the town of Concordia, province of Entre Ríos. A cooperative of local prisoners has started operating there a short time ago.
In dialogue with Mr. Maximiliano Silvero, who is the educational coordinator of the aforementioned unit, Prensa Liberté, he was able to learn details of this cooperative venture, where local prisoners who make wooden handicrafts began a path of change for their lives.
Maximiliano begins this dialogue by telling us that at the beginning of October 2021, they begin to shape the project, convening the group of interns, working on its formation and clearing up some doubts. He cites that activities began, under the structure of a work cooperative, before receiving the corresponding registration.
Members of the cooperative
The work cooperative is made up of 16 prisoners, associated with the cooperative entity; the administrative body is made up of the president, treasurer, secretary, 1st Member, 2nd Member; the oversight body is made up of the trustee and the substitute trustee, and in the case of Maximiliano, he is, specifically, the link that exists today between the Headquarters of the prison unit and the cooperative members, for which all administrative procedures go through her hands.
Maximiliano, remembers in his story, that the initiative for the creation of this cooperative arises from the Patronage of liberated people of the province of Entre Ríos and the Institute for the Promotion of Cooperatives and Mutuals of the same province. and he adds that this proposal, counted from the start, with the endorsement of the prison authorities.
Currently this entity does not have a specific physical space, although a group of workers that comprise it (they meet all the conditions for which they have no problems) were authorized to enter a pavilion, with their hand tools, to work wood and in the case of needing to make a cut, with other types of tools, with which they did not have, he highlights that with advance authorization, they have access to that tool and thus obtain the possibility of completing the work.
Regarding the tasks that are carried out, he told us that they are made of wood and mention was made of making paintings, wall clocks, tables, benches, as well as thermos holders, and he also pointed out that there are already projects to do other work in what is would include blacksmithing.
It is specified that the purpose of those who have been guiding the creation of this cooperative entity is that it achieve autonomy, one hundred percent self-managed by the prisoners, that the materials they use are obtained by them, that is why there are a day with special authorization, for the entry of materials.
Population of the unit and future of the cooperative
He also indicates that the number of inmates in that unit is low, compared to larger units, the population is four hundred and ten inmates, which varies according to income and expenses.
He emphasizes that everything is very new and that, although there are rigorous controls, it is interpreted that, with the passage of time, in this sense, and according to the trust quota as it is given, there will be variants, in terms of the rigor established today in the security protocol.
Controls will be made more flexible, it also anticipates, and it will favor being able to take jobs out of the unit, so they can be sold, with greater flexibility, when putting them out of the unit, although currently, still with restrictions, It is already being done, so that their relatives can sell them abroad, this must be attached to it.
Physical space
Being able to provide them with a physical space to carry out the tasks of this work cooperative is taken into account, which will make it assert itself more and more.
To conclude, Maximiliano thanked the head of Treatment, and the team, Leticia Gallo, Bachelor of Education, Claudio Perlo, Liberté, and the Municipal Executive Department, which was represented by the Mayor, (I.), Alfredo Francolini, Secretary of Government, Alberto Armanazqui, to Councilor Juan Domingo Gallo.
He said that this marks a before and after in the province, a model to follow, for the other units of Entre Ríos and the country, and that it is hoped that this will be an inspiring cause for Liberté and Coopar.
Source: Liberté Press