Brasília - Today minister of Justice, Márcio Thomaz Bastos, and the director of the Department of Federal Penitentiaries, Muarício Kuehne, will inaugurate the country's first maximum security prison in Catanduvas (PR).

The prison has 12,600 square meters and a capacity for 208 inmates who will be submitted to what is called the Differentiated Disciplinary Regime (RDD). The regime, used for dangerous inmates and gang leaders, seeks to keep them isolated while reducing tension in the prison.

Another four new maximum security prisons will soon be inagurated. Campo Grande (MS) and Mossoró (RN) will be ready before the end of this year; and two more, in Porto Velho (RO) and the state of Espírito Santo, will be ready in 2007.

Each of the new prisons costs US$10 million (R$20 million).

Translation: Allen Bennett