Bureau of Corrections (Philippines)

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Bureau of Corrections
Director Oscar Calderon[1]
Website http://www.bucor.gov.ph/

Bureau of Corrections is an agency of the Department of Justice which is charged with custody and rehabilitation of national offenders, that has been sentenced to three years or more of imprisonment.[2]

Contents

[edit] Organization

It is headed by Director Oscar Calderon and the bureau have 2,362 employees, 61% of whom are custodial officers, 33% are administrative personnel and 6% are members of the medical staff.[3]

[edit] Mission

Effective safekeeping and rehabilitation of offenders through educational, therapeutic, productive and restorative principles.[4]

[edit] Vision

Improved national prisons conducive to the reformation and rehabilitation of inmates that will bring them back into the mainstream of society as useful citizens of the country.[5]

[edit] Mandate

The Principal task of the Bureau of Corrections is the rehabilitation of National Prisoners.[6]

The Bureau carries out the following task to carry out it's mandate:[7]
  • Confine persons convicted by the courts to serve a sentence in national prisons.
  • Keep prisoners from committing crimes while in custody.
  • Provide humane treatment by supplying the inmates' basic needs and implementing a variety of rehabilitation programs designed to change their pattern of criminal or anti-social behavior.
  • Engage in agro-industrial projects for the purpose of developing prison lands and resources into productive bases or profit centers, developing and employing inmate manpower skills and labor, providing prisoners with a source of income and augmenting the Bureau's yearly appropriations.

[edit] Units

The Bureau of Corrections currently have 7 operating units located nationwide:[8]

[edit] History

[edit] Spanish Rule

Old Bilibid Prison circa 1900
Old Bilibid Prison circa 1900

The Old Bilibid Prison which was located on Oroquieta Street in Manila was established in 1847 and by a Royal Decree formally opened on April 10, 1866. On August 21, 1870 the [[San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm was established in Zamboanga Cityfor Muslim and political prisoners opposed to the rule of Spain.

[edit] American Colony

the Iuhit penal Settlement now known as Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm was established in 1904 by the Americans in 28,072 hectares of land. The land areas expanded to 40,000 hectares in the late 1950s.[9]and expanded again to 41,007 hectares by virtue of Executive Order No. 67 issued by Governor Newton Gilbert on October 15, 1912.

The Bureau of Prisons was created under the Reorganization Act of 1905 as an agency under the Department of Commerce and Police. The Reorganization Act also re-established the San Ramon Prison in 1907 which was destroyed during the Spanish-American War in 1888. The prison was placed under the Bureau of Prisons and receive prisoners in Mindanao..[10]

The Correctional Institution for Women was founded on November 27, 1929 and it is the one and only prison for women in the Philippines.It was established to the Act No. 3579.[11]

On January 21, 1932, the bureau opened the Davao Penal Colony in Southern Mindanao.[12]

The New Bilibid Prison was established in 1935 in Mutinlupa due to the increased rate of prisoners.[13]

Proclamation No. 72 issued on September 26, 1954, established the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro. and the Leyte Regional Prison was established on January 16, 1973, under Proclamation No. 1101.[14]

[edit] New Name

Administrative Code of 1987 and Proclamation No. 495 issued on November 22, 1989. Change the agencies' name to Bureau of Corrections from Bureau of Prisons.[15]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Inquirer.net, <http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=108872>. Retrieved on 27 May 2008 
  2. ^ Department of Justice, <http://www.doj.gov.ph/agencies/bucor.html>. Retrieved on 27 May 2008 
  3. ^ Department of Justice, <http://www.doj.gov.ph/agencies/bucor.html>. Retrieved on 27 May 2008 
  4. ^ Bureau of Corrections, <http://www.bucor.gov.ph/>. Retrieved on 27 May 2008 
  5. ^ Department of Justice, <http://www.doj.gov.ph/agencies/bucor.html>. Retrieved on 27 May 2008 
  6. ^ Bureau of Corrections, <http://www.bucor.gov.ph/>. Retrieved on 27 May 2008 
  7. ^ Bureau of Corrections, <http://www.bucor.gov.ph/>. Retrieved on 27 May 2008 
  8. ^ Department of Justice, <http://www.doj.gov.ph/agencies/bucor.html>. Retrieved on 27 May 2008 
  9. ^ Bureau of Corrections, <http://www.bucor.gov.ph/bucor.gov.ph/html/bucor_history.htm>. Retrieved on 30 May 2008 
  10. ^ Bureau of Corrections, <http://www.bucor.gov.ph/bucor.gov.ph/html/bucor_history.htm>. Retrieved on 30 May 2008 
  11. ^ Bureau of Corrections, <http://www.bucor.gov.ph/bucor.gov.ph/html/bucor_history.htm>. Retrieved on 30 May 2008 
  12. ^ Bureau of Corrections, <http://www.bucor.gov.ph/bucor.gov.ph/html/bucor_history.htm>. Retrieved on 30 May 2008 
  13. ^ Bureau of Corrections, <http://www.bucor.gov.ph/bucor.gov.ph/html/bucor_history.htm>. Retrieved on 30 May 2008 
  14. ^ Bureau of Corrections, <http://www.bucor.gov.ph/bucor.gov.ph/html/bucor_history.htm>. Retrieved on 30 May 2008 
  15. ^ Bureau of Corrections, <http://www.bucor.gov.ph/bucor.gov.ph/html/bucor_history.htm>. Retrieved on 30 May 2008