Paperjam.lu

Private contractors cannot be employed to replace officers in Luxembourg’s prisons, a clause in the proposed reform of the prison system has laid outIllustration photoPhoto: Flickr/Drew Duncan 

It is one of 117 government amendments following feedback from the Council of State on the prison administration reform and the execution of sentences reform, according to a parliament press release.

Luxembourg MPs raised the challenge of recruiting prison officers, a career that is less attractive than a police officer’s role. Earlier in November, it was announced that these essentially public service roles will be opened to non-Luxembourg nationals. Starting next year, the state will hire 58 people for the future Sanem prison.

Presenting the amendments on Wednesday 29 November, justice minister Félix Braz said that the purpose of the two reforms was the same: “A successful social reintegration of offenders upon release from prison.”

The government statement read:

“The reform should ensure prisoners have the best chances and it aims to modernize and simplify the penitentiary system.”

A plenary vote is scheduled for mid-January. While the two reforms were originally expected to enter into force for 1 January, 2018, it is likely this will be pushed back to the autumn.