sh ops , ▁along ▁with ▁educational ▁classes ▁and ▁computer ▁training . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁men ' s ▁pr isons , ▁in m ates ▁are ▁permitted ▁to ▁live ▁there ▁with ▁their ▁w ives ▁and ▁children , ▁who ▁are ▁allowed ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁prison ▁during ▁the ▁day ▁to ▁attend ▁school ▁or ▁work . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁this ▁and ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁fund ing , ▁many ▁pr isons ▁are ▁ac utely ▁over c row ded . ▁In ▁the ▁C och ab amba ▁department , ▁the ▁only ▁purpose - built ▁prison ▁is ▁El ▁Ab ra , ▁the ▁maximum ▁security ▁prison ; ▁the ▁other ▁main ▁pr isons ▁in ▁town ▁are ▁generally ▁hous ed ▁in ▁converted ▁old ▁w are h ouses ▁and ▁are ▁often ▁in ade qu ate . ▁ ▁Rec ruit ment ▁and ▁training ▁▁ ▁Histor ically , ▁the ▁police ▁force ▁was ▁an ▁un pop ular ▁career ▁choice ▁because ▁of ▁poor ▁pay , ▁conditions , ▁and ▁prest ige ▁and ▁thus ▁did ▁not ▁attract ▁high - quality ▁personnel . ▁Offic ers ▁and ▁higher ▁civil ian ▁employees , ▁who ▁generally ▁were ▁drawn ▁from ▁the ▁small ▁urban ▁middle ▁class , ▁were ▁of ▁relatively ▁higher ▁quality . ▁Many ▁officer ▁personnel ▁came ▁from ▁the ▁army . ▁Offic ers ▁were ▁commission ed ▁by ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁the ▁National ▁Police ▁Academy , ▁by ▁transfer ▁from ▁the ▁army , ▁by ▁direct ▁political ▁appointment ▁for ▁demonstrated ▁ability , ▁or ▁by ▁out right ▁patron age . ▁▁ ▁C iv ili ans ▁were ▁nearly ▁always ▁political ▁app o inte es . ▁Although ▁special ized ▁education ▁was ▁not ▁a