Alarming conditions in the justice system: urgent need for action!

Alarming conditions in the justice system: urgent need for action!

Last year, over 24,000 complaints were filed with the Ombudsman in Austria, signaling an alarming increase in problems in various areas of society. The reporting focuses particularly on the situation in the justice system and the healthcare system. Ombudsman Gabriela Schwarz (ÖVP) describes the conditions in prisons as “catastrophic”, especially for young inmates, and urgently calls for improvements.

A key challenge in prisons is the acute shortage of staff. How Small newspaper Reportedly, the police station in Vienna has a third less staff, which puts the staff under enormous strain. This not only leads to an increased number of long-term sick leave, but also to an increased number of suicides among inmates. The lack of prison guards as well as medical and psychological staff further exacerbates this problem.

Criticism of human rights conditions

Last year, the Ombudsman carried out 458 inspections, in which two thirds of the facilities were criticized for their human rights situation. Abuses, such as malnourished or bed-sore residents in old people's homes, were often documented. Ombudsman Bernhard Achitz (SPÖ) noted that there are often too few staff available to look after those in need. The challenges in assessment, particularly for patients with post-viral illnesses, were also highlighted.

• Im Jahr 2024 wurden 12.100 Prüfverfahren abgeschlossen, wobei etwa ein Fünftel Missstände aufzeigte.
• 27% der Beschwerden betrafen die Innere Sicherheit, darunter Asyl- und Polizeibeschwerden.

Schwarz appeals to the Minister of Justice to improve working conditions and salaries in prisons. There are also calls for the duration of electronically monitored house arrest to be extended to 18 to 24 months.

Need for action in the healthcare system

Parallel to the challenges in the justice system, the Austrian health system is under pressure. This area is under heavy strain due to a lack of manpower and high levels of stress on employees. Various measures are being discussed to increase the attractiveness of the healthcare sector. How courier reports, a central goal is to reduce the workload in the nursing sector and at the same time promote digitalization in the healthcare system.

An example of progress in this area is the planned nationwide health hotline 1450, which will give callers access to medically trained specialists. This should help you clarify early on whether a visit to the doctor is necessary and which practices are open nearby.

In addition, apps are being developed to support patients in making appointments and reminding them of preventative care appointments. However, despite the high life expectancy in Austria, there are health challenges as the average number of healthy years of life is lower compared to other OECD countries.