Belgium: intersecting approaches

Wendy Mercelis. Given that the Hoogstraten PSC has been here for generations, we don’t face many objections from the community. The stigma of prison no longer exists, and we are somewhat part of the neighbourhood fabric. We regularly organise activities in which community members can participate. Everything is open and the community is used to prisoners coming in and out. They see that we are normal people. Since Hoogstraten is a small town, our existence mainly supports the local community. People can do internships and voluntary work on the outside. The challenge is that we now need official authorisation for each prisoner from Brussels [central prison administration], whereas previously we could grant it ourselves.

Petra Colpaert. In Kortrijk, as a new facility, we adopted a proactive approach towards the community. They are treated as partners rather than outsiders. They were involved from the beginning, working together to create an inclusive environment for the residents, which is different from a typical prison in Belgium. Additionally, a ‘boarding community’ was established where professionals from different fields collaborate to determine and implement the necessary steps for providing services within Kortrijk.

We’ve taken measures to try shifting the community’s perception of residents in the detention house, who are solely seen as criminals. We organised an information session and arranged visits to allow community members to discover the facility. Theses visits may not always be pleasant for the residents, as it can feel like they are being observed like animals in a zoo, so we respect their choice to participate or not. We’ve also organised a visit attended by mayors from different towns and other government officials. They were initially opposed to the idea of more detention houses, but their stance shifted after witnessing the residents behaving cordially and going about their lives.

WM. Some of the prisoners work outside. Natuurwerk and a supermarket group approached us directly. The latter is a grocery store chain that sometimes comes to recruit during information sessions after which prisoners can apply to work in their stores. Natuurwerk works in forest and nature management and has a strong presence in the region. They offer a work opportunity program called maatwerk that is designed for individuals who have been employed for an extended period but face challenges in fulfilling regular job requirements. This program offers specific work placements with additional support to help these individuals secure employment. If the intake goes well, they are admitted for an eight-week internship, two days per week. They can bike from Hoogstraten to Wortel where they intern. At the end, they receive a completion certificate attesting their accomplishments, the skills they developed and their behaviour.

Another ongoing project is the ‘scouts group’ kerngroep, a group of twenty men and five women whose aim is to set a good example for other prisoners. They organise activities, volunteer inside and outside, and have extra privileges, such as access to additional sporting activities. We go out with them once a month, most of the time to work with organisations for people with special needs.

PC. A television crew is currently filming our facility for a documentary series called “Starting up the detention house”. We have a lot of cameras following us around to show what happens day-to-day. It was difficult to adjust at first, but television is a very powerful medium for the general population. It’s being done in a meaningful way that will show what we’re setting out to achieve and how the conventional prison landscape in Belgium is changing.

WM. Our facility has an open character, with lots of nature and greenery. The security regime is very low and the day-to-day schedule for prisoners is fairly flexible. Our goal is to make their lives resemble the outside as much as possible.

In closed prisons, the rules are very black and white. Here in Hoogstraten, everything is in nuances of grey. Sometimes, both the staff and residents struggle to determine the appropriate behaviour they should have. When I started here, it was hard to understand which rules were applicable in which situations. It takes time to understand how to operate in a grey area of rules.

PC. As governor of a detention house, I have more control in my day-to-day operations. In a classic prison, you cannot let prisoners use their five weekdays to go to work and have contact with their family as well. You would have to ask for a permission. But in the detention house, almost everything is up to the governor’s discretion. I have more flexibility.

There are a lot of challenges, but the main one for me is the importance of making the right decisions considering that each of these will impact the implementation of all future detention houses in Belgium. It is a lot of pressure. The residents feel very responsible for the programme and take it upon themselves to set an example. They know that if they succeed, others will have the same opportunity. It is great to see them taking initiative.

WM. We strive to avoid judgment and instead adopt a compassionate perspective when working with prisoners, focusing on what is necessary for their successful reintegration into society.

One of the fundamentals of Hoogstraten is that you have to work and participate in an education programme. Recently, we have had less people wanting to work despite having more connections with outside organisations. Instances of drug use are increasing as well. Our policy is to send the prisoner back to an ordinary prison after being caught twice with drugs. Some of the people I send to do a job have to end their contract early because of their behaviour. Before, we had the luxury of an observation period of two months, the process was more gradual. Now, with people coming in and out all the time, everything goes faster, and activities and follow-ups are not adapted. These factors are all detrimental to our regime and our principles. So we need to strike a balance in relation to these changes. However, from speaking with colleagues in the closed prisons of Wortel, Merkplas and Turnhout, I can see that these developments are happening everywhere, so it is not just an open prison issue.

PC. It is really important to understand that a lot of people who commit offenses often have low self-esteem. They do not believe in themselves and have had lots of problems in their past. With time, they begin to see themselves the way community sees them: bad people who cannot and will never contribute anything of value to society.

We made a choice not to be solely risk-focused in our rehabilitation programmes. We’ve implemented the “Good Lives Model” developed by Tony Ward, a New Zealand professor. He developed an approach to interacting with prisoners that considers not only their risk factors but also their strengths and aspirations in life. In fact, if you look at the risk principle, you are always focusing on negative aspects, whereas if you look at what the prisoners want to achieve, their response is going to be much more positive. In our philosophy, we look at both angles. If inmates say they need help, a detention officer will help them, but it is not our aim to systematically accompany them.

One of our residents initially struggled to connect with others due to past trauma. To help him regain confidence, the staff identified his strengths and offered him a job. However, he found it challenging to adapt, so a detention officer accompanied him until he became comfortable. This support enabled him to excel in his work and avoid potential relapses into criminal behaviour. Now, every time he does something new, an officer will accompany him the first time to put him at ease. Once he is settled, he becomes very much independent. This example illustrates how someone could have easily ended back up in prison without the proper approach. We really have to read between the lines.

Another example is a long-term inmate we had who was addicted to Methadone. The staff successfully helped him overcome drug addiction and enrolled him in a skills programme. He secured a job selling house materials online and impressed his employers, resulting in a permanent contract. The bosses even gave him necessary furniture to get settled into his new apartment. The recognition he received for his work in detention played a crucial role in his recovery, as he no longer desired or needed drugs. When he was released, he asked me if he could come back from time to time and participate in some activities. By keeping people like him close, they set an example for those serving their sentence, and that is something I want to keep doing. Normally, a governor is expected not to stay close to prisoners after their release. But this principle has its limits… Being present and providing assistance is crucial in ensuring humane treatment for them. And I am positive it reduces their risk of relapse.