Day 6 3/11

 Buneos diassssssss!!!!!!! Today was an early start for our group’s jam-packed day. We started with our reliable hotel breakfast and a quick sprint to the metro. The group took a quick pit stop at Cerveceria la Plaza for coffee:) We took the underground tunnels and bus to the Policia Nacional for a tour and presentation. While we were there we learned about how the police academy was an orphanage. Fun Fact: one inspector was a runaway orphan who returned to work at the Policia Nacional. We learned how to climb the ranks and become a commissioner. They had five units, some of which were similar to the U.S such as their homicide unit. Something cool we learned is that Madrid only had 35 homicides per year. They attribute their extremely low rates to the tight gun laws. A good majority of their homicides are committed by a hit-man. They have very few women in the force and no women in SWAT. Spain is relatively low in crime.

Next, we took a private coach to the Constitutional Court. The Court keeps tight security due to a bombing in 1990 that killed lawyer Francisco Tomas Y Valiente. The pictures of each judge are hung after each term is complete. The Court has only had 4 female judges in its entire history. We visited the courthouse library that contains the most law books in Spain: 95,000 books! And then there was lunch. Some were happy campers and others ate raw cows.

Last but not least, we went to Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Professor Jacobo Dopico Gomez-Allero gave a presentation on the correctional system in Spain. Spain has a low violence rate, which has a huge role in shaping its structure. 20% of the deaths in Spain’s prisons are suicides. The majority of the people in prison were convicted of property crimes and drug trafficking offenses. The juvenile system focuses on educating the youth within the system. It was interesting to hear that correctional officers (GFSE) within the prison cannot have weapons. There are no police (GdS) within the prison. There is a substantial amount of abuse and torture within the prison. They are still adapting to a new government, post-dictatorship, which is a reflection of their system. We enjoyed dinner at D’Norte and now some of us are off to scream some karaoke. Others are off dreaming about what tomorrow will bring. 

-Kim, Yareli, Allie, Nick, Kevin