“The Future of Prisons: Educators over Uniformed Officers for More Humane Incarceration”

Belgium is set to open four new prisons by 2030, with Antwerp, Vresse-sur-Semois, Bourg-Léopold, and Verviers all to receive new facilities. Additionally, prisons in Ruislede and Jamioulx will be extended by 50 places, while Haren, which has already been developed into a large “prison village”, will be expanded by 106 places, and Dendermonde will grow by 276. Rudy Van De Voorde, director of Belgian penitentiary establishments, stated that the Haren approach of dividing prisoners into small living units was more viable than large wings containing up to 150 inmates. With one of the new prisons set to open in Antwerp in 2025 with 444 spots, Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne hopes to combat the overcrowding of its current prison, which houses 751 inmates, 82 of them Dutch nationals. Harden has been hailed as a “mega-prison” with the establishment aiming to balance security with a more human approach. Van de Voorde also emphasized how transparency might combat misperceptions of life in prison.

Four prisons will see the light of day by 2030 in Antwerp, Vresse-sur-Semois, Bourg-Léopold and Verviers, bringing the total to 41 prison establishments in Belgium. The Ruislede and Jamioulx sites will be extended by 50 additional places, that of Haren by 106 places and that of Dendermonde by 276 places.

“We are moving more towards prison villages like what is done in Haren, rather than ‘black box'”, according to Rudy Van De Voorde, director of penitentiary establishments in Belgium. “This is a development that should be continued. Haren is certainly a large prison but subdivided into living units occupied by ten to thirty inmates, which is something other than a wing with 150 inmates. This model will be replicated for the other new prisons.”

Four new prisons will see the light of day by 2030, three in Wallonia and one in Antwerp: “A means of combating prison overcrowding”

Antwerp prison overcrowded following drug war

Following the drug war in Antwerp, the prison is overcrowded by more than 71%, according to figures communicated by the Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne. “Antwerp prison has 751 inmates, including 82 people of Dutch nationality. Among the current files, 115 files concern acts of drug-related violence perpetrated in Antwerp. It is truly amazing. The cooperation with the police and the Dutch justice is excellent. Consultations are organized with the Netherlands with regard to the structural management of criminal proceedings or the execution of sentences for Dutch adults”. he explains.

The new prison will open in 2025 with 444 prisoners and should therefore be able to absorb the number of new prisoners. No more question, on the other hand, of letting the detainees rot in their dark and cold cell as is currently the case. “Obviously, it is necessary to secure the periphery of prisons to prevent any escape or intrusion of people, but once you are between the walls, life must be normalized as much as possible.poursuit Rudy Van De Voorde.

Haren, a “mega-prison” on a human scale

“It is necessary to create living entities in which we can work on group dynamics in limited numbers. This is a fundamental pillar for the prison of the future with detention guides who are close to prisoners, profiles more similar to sorts of godfathers, street educators, rather than a uniformed agent”he says.

According to him, it is also necessary to improve communication with the general public. The reality show made in Flanders in which we saw Minister Van Quickenborne slip into the shoes of an inmate for four days “going in the right direction”.

“We need to tell more regarding what really happens in prisons”

“The population has a vision of prisons that is not in line with reality”, poursuit Rudy Van De Voorde. “Transparency in the day-to-day management of prisons needs to be improved. The reports and documentaries made in prison make it possible to show another image. The fact that magistrates have also been able to do an immersion in Haren is a good thing. We need to tell more regarding what really happens in prisons. They are not factories of crime as we see in American films”he concludes.

In conclusion, the plans for four new prisons in Belgium by 2030 present a promising approach towards combating prison overcrowding, addressing the needs of both detainees and prison staff. The emphasis on creating living entities and optimizing group dynamics in these prisons is encouraging, as is the push for greater transparency in the daily management of these facilities. As these new prisons are developed and implemented, it is important to continue working towards more human-scale models like the Haren prison, where detainees can live in a normalized environment, and staff can help guide them towards positive change. Through continued efforts towards communication and transparency, we can begin to shift the public’s perception of prisons and create a more rehabilitative and humane justice system.