There are no more detainees in Ghent Prison having to sleep on the floor of their cells since 11 May, although there were still three people who could not rest in personal beds on the night of 4-5 June.
At the beginning of this year, Ghent Prison had 82 detainees who had to sleep on the floor. Mayor Mathias De Clercq called it "unacceptable".
However, the opening of Dendermonde's new prison in March allowed the overcapacity in Ghent (at 181% – one of the highest in Flanders at the time) to be gradually reduced. At the time, Ghent prison still had some 70 people sleeping on the ground.
"The situation has greatly improved, from 80 to nearly no one sleeping on the ground," De Clercq said. "This is not only good for the living conditions of the prisoners but also for the prison staff."
Related News
- One hundred students test new Dendermonde prison
- 300 inmates given reduced sentences due to prison overcrowding
Structural consultations have since been set up between the prosecutor's office, the prison system, the supervisory committee and local authorities to monitor prison occupancy." This allows us to keep a good finger on the pulse and intervene quicker when the occupancy rate rises again."
Early this year, De Clercq was unhappy with the conditions in which detainees were forced to stay, describing them as "worrying" and "inhumane". On Monday, the mayor and East Flanders governor Carina Van Cauter visited the institution to see the progress.
Flemish prisons currently house 11,519 people, while the capacity is at 9,954.
