Greece to Launch Ankle Monitor Program as Inmate Numbers Surge

Greece volition motorboat a nationwide ankle-monitor programme connected May 18 arsenic situation overcrowding intensifies and inmate numbers proceed to rise. Credit: AMNA

Greece volition motorboat its nationwide Ankle Monitor Program for situation inmates this month, arsenic authorities question to trim long-standing overcrowding crossed the country’s correctional facilities. The Greek Ministry of Citizen Protection said the physics monitoring strategy volition officially instrumentality effect connected May 18.

Under the caller measure, courts volition let definite pretrial detainees, convicted prisoners and inmates connected permission to stay extracurricular situation nether physics surveillance. Eligibility volition beryllium connected strict judicial criteria, and the programme volition use lone to inmates who authorities bash not see dangerous.

Officials said galore of the astir 25% of inmates presently held successful pretrial custody could suffice for monitored release.

Greece’s ankle show programme moves from aviator to nationwide rollout

Authorities antecedently tested the ankle-monitor strategy connected astir 30 inmates successful Athens and Thessaloniki.

During the aviator phase, participants had to wage for the work themselves. Under the nationwide rollout, however, the authorities volition supply the monitoring escaped of complaint to those placed nether physics surveillance.

According to the ministry, the devices continuously transmit the wearer’s location. The strategy instantly alerts authorities if a idiosyncratic violates question restrictions oregon attempts to tamper with the device.

The measurement gives courts an further alternate to detention and aims to easiness unit connected Greece’s overcrowded situation system.

Greece invests successful caller prisons arsenic inmate numbers rise

Alongside the physics monitoring program, Greece is moving up with the operation of 10 caller correctional facilities, with a full fund of €268 million, oregon astir $317 million.

The planned sites see Chalkida, Nea Anchialos, Corfu, Filiates and the Voio portion of Kozani. Authorities are besides upgrading existing prisons with enhanced physics entree power and systems that disable unauthorized mobile telephone communications.

Overcrowding intensifies crossed the situation system

According to authoritative data, Greek prisons presently clasp 13,535 inmates, portion their designed capableness stands astatine 10,763.

Occupancy levels alteration sharply betwixt institutions. Some facilities run beneath capacity, including the cultivation situation of Tiryntha, which stands astatine 67.5%. Others look utmost overcrowding, including Komotini astatine 210.4%, the younker situation of Volos astatine 246.2% and Tripoli astatine 228.3%.

The inmate colonisation has climbed rapidly successful caller years, rising from 11,484 connected January 1, 2025, to the existent full of 13,535.

By comparison, wide situation occupancy rates basal astatine astir 118% successful Italy, 123% successful France and 132% successful Cyprus. Greece recorded occupancy rates of 119.34% successful 2015 and 107.24% successful 2019, showing however sharply overcrowding has intensified erstwhile again.