Last year, nearly 10,000 inmates (9,989) in domestic prisons in Austria did not have Austrian citizenship, according to the Member of the National Council for the Freedom Party of Austria, (FPÖ), Christian Lausch.
In response to a query from Justice Minister Zadic, Lausch emphasised that the number of foreign prisoners in Austria continued to increase last year, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
2023’s figures represent a 56 per cent increase compared to 2022 statistics during which year about 52 per cent of inmates were not Austrian.
What we read almost daily in the media is now reflected in the statistics. Although ‘only’ about 19 per cent of foreigners live in Austria, more than every second person in Austrian prisons is not Austrian. This trend is shocking.
Justice Guard Shortage Amid Rising Inmate Numbers
According to a report from FPO, the Justice Guard suffers from a shortage of personnel, with four per cent of positions not filled at present. At the same time, many prisons are bursting at the seams. In addition, the report also notes that last year, 17 penal institutions were at least partially overcrowded, and the situation may get even worse.
The ministry is said to have issued a directive that the institutions should reach 115 per cent occupancy. Where will this end? Bunk beds, mattress camps, accommodation in multipurpose halls? Adding an additional bed in the two-person prison cells or even just laying a mattress on the floor?
Besides, the FPÖ deputy, also considers that overcrowding poses a risk for the justice guards, after there aren’t enough of them in comparison to the increasing number of inmates.
Lausch said that the Justice Guard is stretched to its limits, but he said that everything is being done for the inmates. According to him they enjoy luxury meals with a 25 per cent share of organic food.
In addition, Lausch said that such information was confirmed to him by the Justice Minister Zadić. He said that by 2030, this share is expected to increase notably, to 55 percent.
And all this at a time when people can hardly afford shopping due to inflation.
The statistics from the online database World Prison Brief, reveal that foreign prisoners’ percentage in Austria is 53 per cent based on an estimate made at the beginning of this year.
The same source shows that the official capacity prison system is 8,435, and the occupancy level based on official capacity is 107.3 per cent.
