Brasília, 3 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The government is preparing to build special prisons for highly dangerous inmates. The first unit will hold 296 prisoners, 180 men, 119 women, and, according to João Benedicto de Azevedo Marques, national secretary of Justice, will be Latin America's most modern prison.

All together, five prisons will be built. "They will be constructed especially for handling difficult prisoners, while respecting their rights," said Marques. The prisons will have, among other things, closed circuit TV, automatic doors, a hearing rooms for judges and lawyers, out-patient facilities, secure walls, floors reinforced with steel plates, guard towers, and metal detectors and x-ray machines for visitors. (AB)