The Federation of Flemish Prison Directors has issued six guidelines to the Chairman of the Justice Commission to address prison overcrowding, according to a statement from the prison administration on Sunday.
One of the proposed measures is to introduce quotas for the number of inmates per prison. Setting a maximum capacity will restore control and improve living and working conditions inside prisons, the note indicated.
The Federation also highlighted that mentally ill inmates should not be in prison. Placing them in specialised psychiatric institutions would aid their rehabilitation, ensure their rights as patients, and reduce the burden on regular prisons.
Flemish prison directors noted that prison releases contribute to the current crisis. They recommend that parole dates be set clearly to provide perspective and clarity to the convicted individuals. The federation also calls for detention and transition homes to be increased and improved and for illegal detainees to be repatriated to their home countries.
A temporary suspension of short-term sentences was suggested as an emergency measure, as the intake of such inmates leads to unprecedented overcrowding.
These measures will not only improve safety and living conditions in prisons but will also contribute to a more effective and fair penal system and a safer society, the federation concluded.
