The number of attacks on prison staff in Luxembourg has decreased fivefold
Levi Meir Clancy, Unsplash
In response to a parliamentary enquiry on cases of violence in Luxembourg prisons, the Minister of Justice, Elisabeth Margue, presented data from recent years and described the measures taken to ensure the safety of staff.
The security situation in prisons remains tense, despite some improvement after 2022. For example, at the Centre pénitentiaire de Luxembourg, attacks peaked in 2022 with 17 aggressions and 6 attempted attacks. However, in 2024, there were only 2 assaults and 3 incidents of physical contact with force. Other institutions also have incidents: the Centre pénitentiaire d'Uerschterhaff recorded incidents of biting, spitting and threats in 2024.
Preparing agents pénitentiaires for conflict situations remains a key challenge. The basic training programme includes courses on self-defence, de-escalation techniques and conflict management. In 2025, mandatory pepper gel training is planned for all staff as part of standard protocol.
Analysis shows that cases of aggression often recur in the same prisoners, regardless of their nationality. The Social Psychological Service (Service psychosocial et socio-éducatif) is responsible for assessing the level of aggression in prisoners and developing rehabilitation programmes to reduce the recurrence of violence.
According to the Prison System Act (Loi du 20 juillet 2018 sur l'administration pénitentiaire), prisoners may be temporarily placed in isolation cells (cellules de sécurité) for up to 24 hours in the event of a security threat. In the case of serious offences, disciplinary sanctions are imposed, up to and including transfer to a strict regime (régime cellulaire). Any manifestation of violence must be reported to the Public Prosecutor's Office.
Although the number of incidents has decreased, the issue of improving the effectiveness of violence prevention programmes and conditions for staff remains open. Introducing new training methods and adapting conditions for problem prisoners are key areas for reform.
