Europe Struggles with Prison Overcrowding Crisis

Belgium’s Prison Overcrowding Crisis Deepens

A severe overcrowding crisis is affecting prison conditions in several wealthy European countries, including Belgium. According to data from the directorate-general of prisons, as of mid-May, the country’s 39 prisons were housing 13,733 inmates, exceeding their capacity of 11,064.

Bilal, a 34-year-old inmate who has served time in five prisons across Belgium over the past decade, described his experiences. He recalled conditions at Mons Prison, where cells measured just 9 square meters and housed three to four detainees. Bilal reported instances of scabies, bed bugs, and monkeypox outbreaks, as well as guards facing exhaustion.

Belgium’s prison population has increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, with overcrowding affecting one-third of prison administrations across Europe. The country’s occupancy rates are among the highest in the region, alongside Cyprus, Slovenia, France, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Austria, and Belgium.

Prisoners often spend extended periods in their cells, with some inmates sleeping on mattresses on the floor for up to 22 hours a day. Medical support can take months to receive, exacerbating existing health issues. Detainees also face challenges reintegrating into society upon release.

Critics argue that common responses to the crisis, such as building more detention facilities or transferring prisoners abroad, are ineffective. Experts and workers emphasize the need for improved conditions and respect for inmates’ rights.

According to Yasin Sarikaya, vice-president of Brussels’ prisons, “To ensure decent conditions, we must first respect their rights – that is, stop treating them like mice in a cage.” The situation has led to increased staff shortages, with some guards injured and unable to work. Critical incidents in prisons have doubled within a year, according to the directorate-general of prisons.

The crisis is linked to Belgium’s carceral policy, which has seen an increase in sentences and detention periods. The country’s pretrial detention rate of 32 percent is above the European average.

Source: Al Jazeera