Civil servants smuggled cell phones into the Innsbruck prison - clarification of the fight!

Civil servants smuggled cell phones into the Innsbruck prison - clarification of the fight!

A scandalous incident in Innsbruck prison has excited the Austrian judiciary. According to 5min , a civil servant is said to have acted as a courier by using mobile phones and other electronic devices to imprisoned smuggling. The incident came to light after a violent situation among the occupants had occurred in the civil servant kitchen. According to reports, a forbidden smartphone was found during this argument, which led to rumors and ultimately to confessions.

The inmate, which was identified as a trigger after this fight, revealed that the civil servant had smuggled the devices into prison. In addition to the smartphone, accessories such as chargers, music USB sticks and AirPods are also mentioned in connection with the incident. The judiciary immediately reported the incident to the civil service authority, and the civil servant is no longer active in the facility.

smuggling campaigns in priority

Similar smuggling tests can also be recorded in other priority in Austria. In the Stein Justice Institute in Lower Austria, officials discovered a man who attached packages to a cord that were lowered by prisoners. The support of the employee led to the arrest of a helper, while investigations into the duration of these smuggling activities are underway. During the search, the officials found a cord several meters long and a carabiner, which indicates organized activities among the detained.

An insider stated that some of the 15 prisoners tried to mislead the officers by distraction. The executive director director Erich Mayer praised the officers for their quick response, while HR representative Roman Söllner criticized the lack of staff in the institution. Austria's prisons are currently overcrowded, and about 41% of the prisoners are released before serving two thirds of their punishment.

background to the prison situation in Europe

The problem of overcrowding in prisons is a widespread concern in Europe. Countries are different against this problem. Some approaches include the construction of new prisons and the expansion of existing facilities. As part of these discussions about alternatives to deprivation of liberty, many countries show that there are different progress in implementation. In Sweden, for example, considerations are made to move prisoners to less crowded institutions, while police cells are used in England and Wales to reduce overcrowding.

The EU Commission recommends international cooperation to find innovative solutions for reviewing probation for dismissed prisoners. The topic is therefore not only limited to the incidents in the Austrian judicial institutions, but part of a more comprehensive, European problem that affects the judicial systems and should initiate an urgent discussion about reforms.