"The situation is serious"

Justice Minister wants to build two new prisons

Minister of Justice Anna Sporrer (SPÖ)(Bild: Imre Antal)

Austria's prisons are overcrowded. Justice Minister Anna Sporrer (SPÖ) therefore wants to launch two construction projects in the coming year: a prison and a forensic-therapeutic center in the west of the country. "The situation in the prisons is serious," said Sporrer.

There is overcrowding and too few staff. The Vienna-Josefstadt prison, for example, which is currently being renovated while still in operation, has recently attracted criticism. For example, dinner was served at 1.30 p.m. in a ward for juveniles. The refurbishment is "naturally a challenge", said the Minister of Justice.

The new youth prison on Münnichplatz in Vienna-Simmering was also partially occupied during the construction work. However, full operation was repeatedly postponed and is due to start at the end of January with 72 inmates. A therapist and medical care have been secured, said Sporrer. The young people could learn four apprenticeships. "If the prison sentence is shorter than the duration of the apprenticeship (short apprenticeships of one to one and a half years, please note), the apprenticeship can be continued there and the final apprenticeship certificate will not show that it was completed in a prison."

The situation in prisons is serious. There is overcrowding and too few staff.

Justizministerin Anna Sporrer

Minister of Justice Anna Sporrer (SPÖ)(Bild: Imre Antal)

"Ankle bracelet does not empty prisons"
The Minister attributes the fact that Austria's prisons are overcrowded to demographics, among other things. Around two million fewer people lived in the country 25 years ago than today, which is also reflected in the number of offenders.

Conditional release and the extension of electronically monitored house arrest (now possible with two years remaining on the sentence instead of one) are intended to counteract overcrowding. Nevertheless, the ankle bracelet will not empty the prisons, said Sporrer. "There are currently around 360 people in electronically monitored house arrest, and we expect 150 more per year. That can only be one of several reductions, given the actual numbers."

The youth detention center on Münnichplatz in Vienna will have space for 72 prisoners by the end of January.(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

EU citizens can serve time in their home country
Foreign nationals who are sentenced in Austria could also serve their sentence in their country of origin. This works well with EU countries and there are also contacts with countries in the Western Balkans or Maghreb states, said the Minister. Talks are planned with Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (SPÖ) regarding the construction of new prisons.

According to Sporrer, it is also necessary to get more staff for the prisons. Currently, around five percent of prison guard positions are unfilled, and in non-executive areas such as the psychological service, the figure is as high as eleven percent. "Next year, we want to address a broad public and explain which interesting professions can be pursued in a prison, a detention facility or a forensic-therapeutic center," announced the Minister of Justice. In Graz, a bachelor's course in justice management started in the fall, and in the "Athleta" project, young top athletes can complete an apprenticeship alongside competitions and training.