Overcrowded prisons see 143 inmates sleeping on the floor
Belgium’s prisons are severely overcrowded, with 143 inmates currently having to sleep on mattresses on the floor, new Justice minister Annelies Verlinden said during a parliamentary discussion on Tuesday.
Addressing the Justice Committee for the first time, Verlinden described prison overcrowding as “one of the most pressing challenges” in her new role. Belgium’s prisons currently hold 12,724 inmates, despite having an official capacity of only 11,044.
The minister acknowledged that while she was determined to tackle the crisis, “immediately resolving the problem is not possible”.
Verlinden said that detailed policy measures would be outlined in the government agreement but cautioned that “there are no miracle solutions”. However, she said she was committed to taking immediate steps to improve conditions and referred to provisions in the coalition agreement that could help alleviate overcrowding.
One potential measure involves leasing or constructing prison facilities in other European countries to house Belgian inmates. Additionally, the government is considering the faster repatriation of foreign nationals held in Belgian prisons to their countries of origin, who make up approximately 31 per cent of the prison population.
Dendermonde’s prison © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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