Federal Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) has announced a series of measures to combat escalating violence against prison guards and staff.
The announcement followed a meeting with the joint trade union front after a demonstration outside the Justice Ministry on Friday.
Verlinden outlined several steps she would take to curb violence, including acquiring equipment for targeted searches to detect mobile phones in prisons and training IT dogs to control inmates' phone usage.
It is believed that inmates are orchestrating drug-related violence and attacks on the personal lives of prison staff from within the facilities.
The Minister also plans to enhance safety in detention centres by providing secure cells for the most aggressive inmates, with the aim of increasing the number of these cells annually.
Increased use of drones
The 'drone-in-a-box' project, currently being tested in Antwerp prison, will be expanded to other facilities. This initiative aims to improve security around prisons through the use of drones.
To ensure the safety of staff outside prisons, Verlinden intends to limit the traceability of personnel by modifying visible personal information on their ID badges.
Verlinden stated that she had "listened very carefully to the needs of the trade unions" and aims to "quickly address some very legitimate concerns with the announced measures, pending further discussions within the government."
She agrees that "the appalling overcrowding" in Belgian prisons "stands in the way of a humane detention policy" and that this has an impact on "both staff and detainees".
"The working and living conditions contribute to frustrations and violent incidents," she said.
