FAMILY MEMBERS OF INMATES STOPPED BY POLICE OUTSIDE PRISON, 2000-12-11 (photo)

Family members of inmates imprisoned in Santiago's main prison, San Miguel, are being stopped outside the prison by police on December 11, 2000. Seven inmates were killed on late December 10 due to a fight between rival gangs and a fire, which destroyed one floor of the building, was apparently set up deliberately by prisoners to cover up the deaths of the inmates. Members of the association in charge of prison security have repeatedly condemned the over-crowding of Chilean prisons that makes surveillance difficult. The San Miguel prison has a capacity of 800 inmates but currently houses 1,700 men. CD/MMR