Faster recruitment process should ensure additional prison staff

The prison system is one of the government services facing a shortage of staff. It is a combination of shortage occupations, a general shortage on the labor market and a long selection procedure. This ensures that candidates start working in the private market during the procedure.

Last year, 5,000 people applied for the trial to become a prison guard assistant. More than half no longer showed up for an interview.

Still working this summer

A temporary measure should now change that. Some government departments, such as the prison, are allowed to use accelerated recruitment procedures. For the prison system, this means that candidates for vacancies can start working this summer. “By the end of this summer we would like to recruit 20 jailers”, says prison director of Bruges Tineke De Waele.

Prison directors will be able to recruit locally themselves. Candidates still have to pass a test, interview and pass medical tests.

End of 2022

Accelerated contractual recruitment will be possible until the end of 2022 and will not replace the classic statutory recruitment procedure. A fixed-term contract is offered for one year. If the individual evaluation is favourable, the contract can be extended by one year.

With this temporary measure, Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne wants to provide the necessary reinforcements in the prisons in the short term. “This is necessary to provide sufficient staff as the capacity continues to expand and detention houses that are about to start.