Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden has presented a plan to the cabinet to increase prison capacity by 2,037 new places by 2030, as reported by Le Soir on Friday.
As part of a “comprehensive structural action plan to combat prison overcrowding,” the CD&V minister aims to allocate a minimum budget of €55 million, primarily for the fast and structural creation of new prison spaces. The goal is to establish 1,105 additional places by 2027 and a further 932 over the following three years, with the intention of adding 1,044 more after 2030.
The plan includes constructing new penitentiary facilities, such as in Vresse-sur-Semois; extending the use of old prisons, like those in Saint-Gilles and Antwerp; and expanding existing infrastructures, for example, in Dendermonde or Saint-Gilles. There is also consideration of increasing capacity at specific sites, including those in Haren and Beveren.
The Justice Ministry is also looking into using prefabricated units on existing sites or land owned by the Buildings Agency for low-risk inmates. Additional places in detention or transition homes are also being planned.
If the full action plan is implemented, Minister Verlinden estimates the cost will be nearly €1.1 billion for the years 2026 to 2029.
