New Vienna Youth Prison to Begin Full Operation This Year

Currently, 15 juveniles aged 15 to 17 are housed in the Vienna youth prison, cared for by 34 employees, including 23 police officers. Ultimately, the facility will provide accommodation and training opportunities for 72 male juveniles and employment for 60 police officers.

New Vienna Youth Prison Offers Seven Apprenticeships

Of the current 15 inmates, only four have completed compulsory schooling. The remaining eleven are no longer of school age - they are now to be given the opportunity to catch up on what they missed behind bars. The education directorate has already promised four permanent teachers who are to teach up to 24 school-age inmates, said Seada Killinger, who was appointed head of the JA effective April 1, at a media event on Tuesday. Apprenticeships can also be started in modern workshops. Seven different apprenticeships are offered at the JA. As Friedrich Alexander König, head of the General Directorate for Corrections and Detention Measures, explained to the media, the JA Münnichplatz is basically designed for inmates aged between 14 and 18. Young adults aged between 18 and 21 would generally not fit into juvenile detention. According to König, the JA Gerasdorf is intended for this group, which is geared towards inmates aged between 18 and 30.

Measures Against External Contact with Inmates in Vienna Youth Prison

The JA Münnichplatz, which began operations last January, recently came under scrutiny because major construction work is still pending during ongoing operations, and there have been recent attempts at external contact with inmates by shouting over the outer fences. The Ombudsman initiated an official investigation following corresponding media reports. The facility management and the Ministry of Justice stated on Tuesday that they would counter gatherings in front of the building complex with structural measures - such as a tall, opaque hedge. Inside, construction work on two of the three inmate sections is expected to be completed soon. A guard center, a visitor center, and the administrative wing, as well as a sports yard, still need to be completed. In any case, all school-age Viennese prisoners are to move into their cells in the new prison in July, followed by the school-age pre-trial detainees in mid-August.

Vienna Youth Prison: Ombudsman's Investigation Still Ongoing

The Ombudswoman responsible for corrections, Gabriela Schwarz (ÖVP), stated on Tuesday in response to an APA inquiry that the investigation is still ongoing. The final report remains to be seen. "Regardless, my criticism remains that the approach was anything but optimal. Completing the construction site first and then relocating inmates would have been the better option in the interest of the juveniles and the staff," said Schwarz. However, with the new facility director and her staff, "an engaged, motivated team is striving every day to care for the juveniles as best as possible during the construction operations," emphasized Schwarz.

(APA/Red)

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