Agia Agricultural prison in Chania opened in 2012 and was designed with the facility for two rooms where prisoners could spend private time with their wives or partners.
The prisoners of course, are very keen to be able to use the specific rooms but because of red tape, and despite the fact that everything is ready for the facility to become available for use, the final rubber stamp of approval from the Ministry, has never been put to the legal documents, something possibly due to reservations expressed by some prison staff.
The Governor of the prison, Mr. Giannis Klapakis, explained to the “Espresso” newspaper that this idea is one implemented in many European countries. We still do not know who will be eligible to use the room, but the prisoners are asking to have the opportunity!
According to the Governor, there have been no official negative reactions, but as it is something new, we will all need to accept it, the prison management, the staff and society. It will take time, as some still believe it is unrealistic to offer such provisions to the inmates. We, as those who are responsible to exercise the correction process, believe that it must happen at some point.
Mr. Klapakis also spoke of the other initiatives which operate at the Chania prison, such as the “second opportunity at schooling” which is proving very popular and also, a special area for prisoners to be able to spend time with their children.
For four months now, a particular area has been adapted, enabling the prisoners, along with their wives or partners and their children, to relax together in a more child friendly, family environment without a sheet of glass between them and without direct supervision – there is a window through which a guard observes, but he is not physically present. It has been received very positively by the inmates.
At the same time however, there are serious staff shortages. Since 2012 when the prison was officially opened, there have been no new prison officers employed. With a total of three hundred prisons serving sentences at Agia Prison, including some serving longer, more serious sentences, there are no more than fifty officers available to cover the three wings.
Officers are sent on temporary transfers, to boost numbers, but when they leave, to return to their normal post, there will be an “important security issue”, in the words of the Governor.