Author: Dallandyshe Xhaferri | Elbasan | Citizens.al
The prison system faces over 300 vacancies for police officers and officers, while the average age of current employees is 48. Young people are turning away from this job due to low salaries and difficult conditions. Meanwhile, the toughening of the Criminal Code has increased the possibility of prison sentences even for low-risk offenses, increasing the number of convicts.
Employee vacuum
Every day, at 05:00 a.m., dozens of police officers from Elbasan leave in vans for the high-security prison in Peqin to take their first shift. Sitting in their seats, they hesitate to talk about the situation in front of their colleagues, but in anonymity they admit that the problems are numerous.
Ylberi* has been working as a police officer in this prison for more than two decades and describes daily life with problems mainly due to overcrowding and lack of staff.
"In high-security sectors, there are up to two people per room, or four when the room is larger. But 30-40 convicts in one sector are monitored by only one police officer," he says, adding that the guards work over 22 days a month to cover the service.
"The situation in detention is problematic. They are overcrowded. In a room with a capacity for four people, eight people are staying," he concludes.
Official data confirms the lack of personnel in the entire prison system. The General Directorate of Prisons told Citizens.al that 307 employees are needed: 236 basic role police officers and 71 officers.
Currently, 288 officers and 3,146 police officers work in prisons, while the number of detainees and convicts reaches 4,560, which makes the average ratio about one police officer for two prisoners.
According to Valentin Macaj, president of the Police Services Union, the main problem is not only overcrowding, but also the demotivation of employees and the lack of investment in better working conditions.
"The police serve 8-12 hours, are on standby 24 hours a day, and not a single meal is covered by the state," he says as an example to show the government's negligence towards this sector.
Pununpopular with young people
According to the Directorate of Prisons, the average age of police officers is 48. Meanwhile, Macaj says that young people refuse to join the system as prison police officers due to pressure and harsh conditions.
"New aspirants are paid 80% of the inspector's rank, around 46 thousand lek per month, less than the minimum wage," he explains.
The union leader adds that the lack of rights at work and low incomes make this profession unattractive and unsafe for young people.
Meanwhile, current employees are exposed to pressures coming from convicted criminals, but also the influences or stereotypes that spread towards the uniform due to cases involving corruption.
"They are frustrated under the pressure of powerful crime figures who are behind bars, and they don't even trust their colleagues, some of whom have unfortunately been implicated in corruption," Macaj says.
According to him, even the 2023 law on Prison Police did not improve the situation because it was adopted without consulting interest groups.
"No law has clearly defined the recruitment procedure: how is the candidate treated in training and how much is paid during the three-month course?" he adds.
Kola*, another police officer, says that until 2024 they paid for their own transportation and uniforms.
"We bought the uniform, the badges, everything with our own money. Unlike the State Police, we still don't receive food treatment," he stressed.
The Penal Code and the increase in prisoners
On January 28, Parliament approved amendments to the Criminal Code by 85 votes. The package included toughening penalties for illegal construction, arson, and even double parking, which can now be punished with a fine or up to 1 year in prison.
The government presented it as an approximation to EU legislation. But lawyer Jordan Daci disagrees with this position. He says the changes toughen laws in an approach that does not fit European standards and consequently increases the number of prisoners.
"These are 'wild' laws. The new code has three times more criminal offenses. If yesterday you risked prison for 3 violations, today you risk it for 9," he says.
According to him, many administrative offenses have been criminalized and the intervention also affects the sphere of private law.
"Civil violations without danger are being treated as criminal offenses," Daci raises concerns, warning that some offenses may be punished more severely than intentional murder, which remains 5-10 years in prison.
According to him, this approach will significantly increase the number of prisoners and create organizational problems for the penitentiary system, which is already operating at capacity.
*Names have been changed to preserve anonymity.
Read also:
- 50 changes, no reform: The Criminal Code as a tool of control
- The new Penal Code endangers freedom of expression
- Media organizations against the new Criminal Code: It violates freedom of expression
