4,000 convicts of overcrowded prisons steering « is independent of all the sense of reality, » Hekkels Vakbond
« Apart from all the sense of reality and humanity. » For example, ACOD trade unionist Robby de Kaey describes the decision of the magistrate to send 4,000 convicted criminals to the already overcrowded prisons in one fell swoop in one fell swoop.
The magistrates have discovered that last week, when drawing the Easter agreement, the federal government decided to cut in their pensions by, among other things, indexing the highest pensions. « The government’s decision causes a purchasing power loss of 30 to 40 percent, » the Public Prosecution Service calculated.
In protest against the measure, it was decided to send all convicted criminals on a waiting list of the overcrowded prisons – they are a total of 4,000 – in one movement to the cell. « A bomb on the prison system. There is no place, » it was already in the corridors of justice.
Robby de Kaey, representative of the socialist trade union ACOD, is also unhappy about the measure. « This is clearly independent of all the sense of reality and humanity, » he stated on Thursday in ‘the morning’ on Radio 1. « Everyone who works, bears the consequences of the government decisions. Everyone will have to work longer, everyone will probably get a lower retirement, but not everyone is in a situation where they can use their power as a lever. »
According to De Kaey, the decision is « dramatic » for prisons, both for the prisoners and for staff. « Due to the continuing overpopulation, the water had been on its lips for some time, but due to a few recently taken measures, we now finally had a view of a little improvement, » he says. « And then you get a promotion like this and you will be completely pushed up again. »
Recidivism
The Kaey not only points to the consequences for prison staff, but also for all citizens. « The recurrence rate of 70 percent and higher will certainly not fall if we will stab more prisoners in far too small cells with too few staff and too few resources. »
How will the prisons deal with the decision? According to the Kaey, that is still looking coffee grounds. « That will probably become clear during the day, but in prisons where you can’t switch quickly, I fear for the worst for the staff. »
According to the trade unionist, this protest action of the magistrate cannot be compared with the (current) strikes of the prison staff. « If we take action, that is precisely to ask for more staff and less overcrowding, which should lead to a better reintegration of the prisoners and to safer prisons. What happens here is more prisoners in all overcrowded prisons. This is not aim to make prisons safer, not for staff and not for the prisoners. »
