The Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden sent a note to the Council of Ministers in which she exposes a plan intended to increase the prison capacity of 2,037 new places by 2030. The content of this note was revealed on Friday evening.
Within the framework of this “global structural action plan for the fight against prison overcrowding”, the CD & V Minister wishes to devote a budget of minimum 55 million euros, the majority of which will allow the rapid and structural creation of new prison places. The objective is to set up 1,105 places by more by 2027 and 932 additional places during the following three years. The ambition is even to add 1,044 after 2030.
This will involve the construction of new penal establishments, as in Vresse-sur-Semois, the extension of the use of old prisons, such as Saint-Gilles and Antwerp, and the expansion of existing infrastructure, for example in Termonde or Saint-Gilles. It is also planned to increase the capacity of certain buildings, especially those of Haren or Beveren.
Justice also examines the use of prefabricated units on existing sites or on land belonging to the Building Régie for low -risk detainees. The opening of additional places in detention or transition houses is also in the boxes.
If the action plan is carried out in its entirety, the Verlinden minister estimates that the cost will be nearly 1.1 billion euros for the years 2026 to 2029.
