Things are moving in Belgium. Recently detention houses were integrated in the government agreement, however, we only see small steps being taken… Is there a problem? Is there a lack of knowledge of political support? Let’s ask some experts in the field!
Things are moving in Belgium. Recently detention houses were integrated in the government agreement, however, we only see small steps being taken… Is there a problem? Is there a lack of knowledge of political support? Let’s ask some experts in the field!
When a judge imposes a prison sentence, it has far-reaching consequences for the convicted person, for his or her family and the children involved. The
It seems that we all have gained some experience in deprivation of liberty since the outbreak of COVID-19. It seems that on average we have
All people have the right to education. This human right is also enshrined in international human rights instruments for incarcerated people (see for example the
Koen Geens first and foremost is an academic -
alongside teaching as a Law Professor he has been very active in education reform and
more. Furthermore, Geens is former Minister of Justice and Deputy PM in the Governments
of Charles Michel and Sophie Wilmès. By implementing transition houses, he was the first
Minister of Justice in Belgium to put small-scale detention on the map.
Imagine that you would be in a hospital of the 19th century or that you would send your children to school in the 19th century and to those buildings... Would you like that? And then in general, they say: "No, no, no, no, we wouldn't like that." Well, that is what happens almost in our prisons.
Stefaan van Hecke is a Member of the Belgian
Federal Parliament, for the ecological party Groen. Van Hecke is known for his
expertise on justice, as a former lawyer and Member of the Justice Committee
(Chamber of Representatives) since 2007. As he strongly believes in the concept of
RESCALED, Van Hecke has devoted time and energy to help build up a political support
base for detention houses.
The advantages of detention houses is that they are small buildings, who exist already, that we can reuse.
Mathilde Steenbergen was Director of various units in
the prison of Bruges for thirteen years. Thereafter, Steenbergen worked as a Justice and
Prison Advisor and at present is Director of the Justice Policy Cell of the Deputy PM
and Minister of Justice – Vincent van Quickenborne. It is this Policy Cell that includes
detention houses in the policy note - and thus has helped emphasize political support.
When a judge imposes a prison sentence, it has far-reaching consequences for the convicted person, for his or
It seems that we all have gained some experience in deprivation of liberty since the outbreak of COVID-19.
All people have the right to education. This human right is also enshrined in international human rights instruments
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