Over the past five years, exactly 80 incidents have been recorded in Luxembourg's prisons in Schrassig and Givenich in which guards were attacked.
Additionally, in the last three years alone and since the facility in Sanem opened its doors to remand prisoners, 28 such incidents have taken place there.
For Justice Minister Elisabeth Margue of the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), the answer to violence behind prison walls lies in part in having sufficient, well-trained staff. Nearly 300 new prison guards have been hired over the past five years, and a further 50 positions will be advertised this year. An additional 16 guards will be needed next year when a new prison block opens in Schrassig.
In cases where guards come under attack, they are permitted to use tear gas under strictly limited conditions; this was confirmed by Margue in her response to a parliamentary question submitted by Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) MPs Yves Cruchten and Ben Polidori.
