Alarming conditions in the Josefstadt youth prison: reports reveal grievances!

Alarming conditions in the Josefstadt youth prison: reports reveal grievances!

A recently published report by the Child and Youth Advocate (KIJA) raises serious questions about the conditions in the youth prison system at Josefstadt Prison in Vienna. The 2024 annual report draws particular attention to the limited living conditions of the young inmates, which are primarily classified as worrying. For example, showers are only allowed twice a week, which is due to an insufficient supply of hot water. But that's not all: in some areas, dinner is served as early as 1:30 p.m., while other departments only serve meals at 5:00 p.m. This inequality causes resentment among the prisoners and casts a negative light on the organizational processes in the institution.

Another major shortcoming concerns the leisure and educational opportunities for young people. The report highlights that not only are leisure activities severely limited, but the long time inmates have to spend in their cells is also critically viewed. The situation of girls, who have to live in precarious conditions, is particularly alarming. They are currently being housed with adult women, as there is no separate department for female inmates in Josefstadt. Such a practice violates the principle of separation and limits their access to important social-educational and psychiatric care.

A revolution is imminent

The Federal Ministry of Justice (BMJ) has assured that improvements are being made, and many of the criticisms are already being implemented or have already been resolved. However, it remains to be seen whether these measures can provide the necessary relief in this complex situation in a timely manner.

A bright spot could be the new youth prison on Münnichplatz, which is scheduled to begin operations by January 2025. According to the BMJ, structural adjustments are already necessary because they are more extensive than initially assumed. The new location is intended to offer better conditions for young people and is designed for 72 male prisoners between the ages of 14 and 18. The district community hopes that it will be fully operational in the first quarter of 2026 so that the young people currently housed in Josefstadt can gradually be relocated there.

Significant need for improvement

In addition to these challenges, interviews with approximately 40 juvenile inmates also reported problems such as excessive use and verbal abuse by untrained prison guards. This shows the lack of qualified staff in the prison guards, which significantly worsens the situation of the inmates. In addition, the infrastructure for leisure activities in the new youth prison is not yet fully completed, which further clouds the young people's prospects. It remains uncertain whether appropriate measures can be effectively implemented in the few remaining months until Josefstadt is closed.

The KIJA formally welcomes the planned relocation to Simmering, but emphasizes that until then the conditions in Josefstadt must meet the requirements of a responsible juvenile detention system. Josefstadt Asylum will therefore have to decide whether it meets these requirements or whether the hope of improvement in the next facility becomes a mere illusion.

The challenges of the juvenile prison system make it clear that more than just structural progress is necessary to sustainably improve the situation of young prisoners. Integration into society, resocialization and the promotion of a new way of life for these vulnerable people must be the top priority. The question remains: How quickly will decision-makers take the necessary steps to create a fairer environment for these young people?

In the end, it remains to be hoped that the planned changes in both Josefstadt and the new youth prison will actually have a noticeable effect and that the questions surrounding parental detention and rehabilitation will be answered as soon as possible.