Record number of prisoners in Belgium

There are 11,769 people incarcerated in Belgian prisons, a record high, reports De Standaard. The prison population has been on the rise since 2008: from 9,804 to 11,769 on April 1 this year.

According to the latest data provided by Justice FPS, Belgian prisons have a capacity of 9,592 places, meaning there is a space deficit of more than 20 percent.

The growth of the prison population is in part due to the increasing number of people who are in custody, awaiting trial for their criminal charges.