Concerns over safety within Luxembourg's prisons resurface whenever there is a serious incident among inmates or staff. On Thursday, the parliamentary justice committee addressed the issue, concluding that while prisons are not fundamentally unsafe, there is still substantial room for improvement.
Already in May, the Association of Prison Guards raised the alarm about an acute staff shortage, warning in a public statement that the lack of personnel was making it increasingly difficult for officers to carry out their duties effectively.
These concerns were underscored by two incidents in August and September, when officers were attacked by inmates with a plate and a pan, respectively. The prison administration backed up these warnings with a series of statistics during a session of the parliamentary justice committee, indicating that these were not isolated cases.
According to deputy director Caroline Lieffrig, there have been 17 physical assaults on prison staff so far this year. Although this figure represents a slight decrease compared to previous years, Lieffrig stressed that these incidents still constitute a significant safety risk.
She also highlighted a new trend involving the intervention of the prison's special response unit: while there were 45 such incidents in 2023, the number dropped to 43 in 2024, 39 in 2025, but for 2026, the projection jumps to 87; a more than twofold increase compared to the previous year.
Violence among inmates also remains a concern, with 146 recorded incidents between prisoners so far this year. Luxembourg's prison population currently stands at around 820, while the number of prison officers is just over 870, including more than 560 surveillance staff.
Minister of Justice Elisabeth Margue assured parliament that significant recruitment efforts are underway.
She noted that out of 91 approved new positions for the justice sector, 42 have been allocated to the prison administration this year, a move aimed at addressing the most acute staffing needs.
While the addition of new staff is generally welcomed prison administration director Serge Legil cautioned that increasing staff numbers alone would not suffice. He insisted that infrastructure must be expanded as well, as existing facilities are increasingly stretched to capacity, particularly the remand prison at the Uerschterhaff Penitentiary Centre.
Legil explained that the prison in Sanem was originally built for 400 inmates, with an official operating licence for the same number. Due to some architectural quirks, the prison has managed to accommodate up to 415 people, and at one point in mid-September, the population even reached 432.
Currently, 418 inmates are housed there. The number of pre-trial detainees usually decreases after the start of the new judicial year, which has also been the case this year.
This is a welcome development, as overcrowding has a direct negative impact on daily life at the prison. For example, activities such as sports sessions may be cancelled when inmate numbers are too high.
One possible solution would be to transfer more prisoners to the Givenich Penitentiary Centre, which has 113 beds but currently houses only around 70 detainees. However, this decision rests with the judiciary, not the prison administration.
A project is also underway for a new prison building in Schrassig, which would increase capacity from around 450 to as many as 600 prisoners. Even so, if all goes according to plan, construction will not be completed before 2040.
Looking ahead, Legil suggested that Luxembourg may need to consider the construction of a fourth, and potentially even a fifth, prison to keep pace with increasing demand.
