RESCALED - Richtungswechsel

On June 14th, 2024, the justice ministers of the 27 EU countries unanimously expressed their support for the use of detention houses. They did so by adopting the Council conclusions on small-scale detention facilities, thus urging all member states to consider the use of small-scale detention facilities, including detention houses, for detention purposes where appropriate. The RESCALED movement, a leading advocate for the use of detention houses in Europe, welcomes the adoption of these Council conclusions as they represent a significant step towards a more sustainable justice system and a greener, fairer, and more inclusive future.

What is the RESCALED movement?

The RESCALED movement is a European movement advocating for smaller, more localized, and community-based detention houses instead of traditional prisons. Many of today’s prisons in Europe are outdated, as they were built for a different purpose in a different era. When new prisons are constructed, the past is often repeated. These old prisons or new prisons with old designs often make it difficult to implement the current European penal practices. RESCALED believes that it will be easier to apply the laws and principles of European penal systems in practice with detention houses. In a small-scale structure, it is easier for incarcerated individuals to build trust, make decisions, and take responsibility, which is a prerequisite for daily life in the 21st century. Through separate structures, incarcerated individuals will serve their sentences at the appropriate security level and receive the support they need, making them better prepared for their release. Through a structure that promotes integration into the community, incarcerated individuals can remain connected to community life.

RESCALED already has a number of good examples of small-scale, separate, and community-integrated detention houses across Europe.

On June 11th, 2024, the RESCALED General Assembly also welcomed ten new members. The European movement for detention houses now includes seventeen European countries, including Austria, represented by RICHTUNGSWECHSEL.

How do RICHTUNGSWECHSEL and RESCALED work together?

RICHTUNGSWECHSEL is a non-profit organisation that supports the European penal system, particularly through vocational training and knowledge exchange for prison staff, and advocates for personnel issues within the RESCALED movement.

Prison officers, along with social workers, psychologists, teachers, chaplains, and other essential prison staff, are in close daily contact with incarcerated individuals and have the opportunity to support them in their social (re-)integration efforts. It is internationally proven that through dedicated support and professional contact with prison officers, the bridge between incarcerated individuals and society is strengthened, thereby promoting social (re)integration.

“When officers use their authority well, legitimately and carefully, every outcome is improved:

suicide, disorder, violence, political charge, and even prisoner’s future.”

– Professor Alison Liebling

However, the essential tasks of prison staff are not widely recognised in society, and the resulting personnel shortages combined with the problem of overcrowding are additional obstacles to the successful fulfilment of their duties. These issues manifest in a staffing crisis that many correctional systems in Europe and worldwide are currently facing.

RICHTUNGSWECHSEL also stands for social responsibility by advocating for the social (re)integration of incarcerated individuals in the penal system through public outreach and multidisciplinary collaboration. Our goal is to create societal awareness of the importance of social (re)integration and the vital work of prison staff and think holistically about our community efforts.