There are no cells at Fort National, only four long drab and dirty buildings around a small paved courtyard. The stench of urine hangs around the buildings as if the walls were drenched in it. A company hired to clear the sewage left without completing the job, explained Gracieux, a former lawyer and teacher who has been running the facility for the past five years, since it was turned into a prison. Like almost everything else in Haiti, much of what ails the penal system could be cured with money. Fort National has no running water.
Inmates use water collected in a catchment basin to bathe.
Inmate Jacqueline Charles said she cannot drink the water. Her arms are covered with splotches she said were caused by it. Charles, a businesswoman, said she has been in jail for several months, accused of theft. She said she couldn't find the courage to call the lawyer who takes care of her business. She has not seen her four children since being jailed.