‘Like mice in a cage’: Inside Europe’s prison overcrowding crisis
Summary
Belgium is facing a serious problem with prison overcrowding, with more inmates than the prisons can hold. Many prisoners live in cramped and unhealthy conditions, and prisons struggle with staff shortages and safety issues. The situation is becoming worse due to recent policy changes and longer detention times.Key Facts
- Belgium has 13,733 inmates but capacity for only 11,064 as of May 2024.
- Some cells of about 9 square meters hold 3 to 4 prisoners.
- Overcrowding in European prisons increased after the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Prisoners can spend 22 to 23 hours a day locked inside their cells.
- Medical care for prisoners may take months to receive.
- Prison staff face burnout and injuries, worsening staff shortages.
- Law changes in 2023 require enforcing all sentences up to 3 years in prison rather than electronic monitoring.
- Average jail time in Belgium increased by nearly 40% over five years, now about 10 months.
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