Brasília - The national secretary of Justice, Cláudia Chagas, reports that the 2004 budget for the country's penitentiary system will be R$198 million, with the possibility of an additional R$200 million in supplementary funding.

According to the president of the National Council of Justice, Human Rights and Penitentiary Administration (Consej), Emanuel Cacho, there is an emergency need to provide incarceration facilities for another 100,000 prisoners which will cost R$1.5 billion. (AB)