55 judges and prosecutors voluntarily go to prison
Dozens of judges and prosecutors have voluntarily allowed themselves to be imprisoned in Belgium in order to experience prison conditions first-hand. They should be treated there for a day as prisoners.
BIn a strange experiment in Belgium, 55 judges and prosecutors were voluntarily allowed to be imprisoned in a new prison near Brussels. “On the one hand, prison staff can prepare for the actual opening of the prison, and on the other hand, judges and prosecutors get an insight into the daily life of prisoners and how the prison works,” the Belgian news agency said. Belga quoted Justice Minister Vincent van Quekenborn as saying. “This will undoubtedly help them assess whether imprisonment is the best solution for someone who has made a mistake.”
Belgian judges and prosecutors were imprisoned for a day and a half on Saturday morning – on a voluntary basis. Quoting the Ministry of Justice, Belga said they would be treated like ordinary prisoners. For example, they are not allowed to use their cell phones. Among other things, they will have to work in the kitchen and in the laundry, but they will also be allowed to receive family visits. At 10 p.m., the lights will be turned off. Haren Prison, a municipality in the capital, Brussels, is due to open on 30 September. It offers space for approximately 1,200 guests.
According to Belga, the complex at Haren is a kind of prison village. It contains smaller buildings and condominiums, each with around 30 spaces. In this way, guests should be accommodated according to their profile and age.
