ever more electronic bracelets, prison counselors for integration and probation denounce a “hell”
An inter-union staff of the Ministry of Justice and the prison administration denounces an inflation of electronic bracelets without additional means in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne).
The CGT, the National Union of Prison Administration (SNEPAP) and FO-Justice denounce a lack of resources in the face of an explosion of electronic bracelets.
Born in the 80s in the United States, placement under electronic surveillance (PSE) has crossed the Atlantic and constitutes an alternative sentence to prison. It can also be decided within the framework of a release under duress at home or for people indicted and attributed to.
An Intersyndicale denounces an explosion of electronic bracelets. According to professional organizations, 3,997 people are currently affected in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne). And, above all, the number is increasing from month to month.
436 bracelets in April. 543 in June 2002
This increase is not accompanied by additional resources. ” Despite our pleas, we are dumbfounded today by this constant lack of personnel, whether administrative, integration or probation or whether it is a question of placement agent ” estimates, in a joint declaration, 3 unions of Justice and Penitentiary.
For staff representatives, this situation is equivalent to a “hell” and is explained by the thruster’s desire to promote electronic surveillance. A will based on reasons”contingents” (reducing prison overcrowding or the difficulty of enforcing sentences) but also on a basic motivation to know how to avoid incarceration in order to promote better reintegration.
For the Deputy Secretary General of FO-Justice, in charge of the SPIP sector “The problem is not that we have too many bracelets. Yes, that’s good, but can we afford it? “. Farida ED Farida recalls thata penitentiary integration and probation counselor (who intervenes in an open environment as well as in prison) is supposed to have “60 people“in charge when, in fact, he manages”145 files.“
We do quantitative and not qualitative. It would be necessary to recruit between 800 and 1000 prison counselors for integration and probation
Farida ED DAFIRISecretary General FO-Justice
The tension in the SPIP of Haute-Garonne, as in all the other SPIPs of Lille or Bordeaux, is not, according to the trade unionist, only linked to a problem of understaffing. These services are also weakened by recruitment difficulties.
Beyond human resources, FO-Justice asks the government to conduct a campaign to promote the profession of prison counselor for integration and probation.