Serra region prisons barred from new inmates due to overcrowding

All eight prisons in Brazil's Serra region are now barred from accepting new inmates due to severe overcrowding. Judicial decisions have halted new entries, demanding state action to address the crisis. The overcrowding is critical, with facilities like the Caxias do Sul State Prison exceeding capacity. Similar conditions are reported in Vacaria, Guaporé, and Nova Prata, where cells hold far more prisoners than designed. This situation compromises public safety and strains police resources. A new prison in Caxias do Sul, expected to add 1,650 beds by year-end, is seen as a key solution.