Romanian justice minister presents measures for penitentiary system development

Justice minister Tudorel Toader has used Facebook to present the measures the authorities have implemented in the period February-December 2017, which are aimed at developing the penitentiary system in Romania. For example, the authorities have approved the acquisition of a feasibility study for the construction of a penitentiary with 1,000 places, namely P4-Berceni. The government also approved a decision for the transfer of buildings from the administration of the Ministry of National Defense (MAPN) to the administration of the Ministry of Justice for the purpose of transforming them into a penitentiary with a capacity of 900 places. Also, the Justice Ministry plans to establish the National Institute of Penitentiary Administration, an institution to be in charge of the National Administration of Penitentiaries’ staff training. The government also included in the 2018 budget the funds necessary to start the investment works aimed at creating 5,110 new places of detention in the period 2019-2023. When it comes to the measures taken to improve the detention conditions, the justice minister recalled the creation of 170 new accommodation places for inmates, and the revamping of 200 others. Moreover, the authorities also purchased 13 new means of transportation for the transfer of detainees. The minister also recalled the law adopted last fall, which grants a six-day reduction of the sentence for every 30 days spent in improper conditions of detention. Over 1,200 inmates benefited from the new law in the first month, according to data from the Federation of Trade Unions in the National Administration of Penitentiaries (ANP). Solutions to prison overcrowding in Romania: Electronic monitoring, more places in prisons Romanian justice minister reacts to Danish PM’s statements on prison conditions Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com