Denada Jushi
Prison sentences, for those who commit criminal offenses, are usually seen not only as punishment, but also as a period of rehabilitation and reflection, with the aim that time in isolation helps convicts not return to criminal activity.
But one of the most serious cases that illustrates the failure of rehabilitation was that of March 1, 2023, when Dan Hutra, a person with a serious criminal record and released from prison only a few weeks earlier, committed a series of murders in Tirana and Kamëz. In total, three women were killed that day and several others were injured.
When he was rearrested, he stated that he had devised the entire plan while in prison.
This is just one of many cases that show that the Albanian penitentiary system is failing in one of its main missions: the rehabilitation and reintegration of convicted persons.
Although Albania has adopted a legal framework aligned with European and international standards, an audit report shows that, in practice, prisons continue to function primarily as isolation and security structures, while rehabilitation remains an unrealized objective.
The most disturbing finding of the final audit report “Treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of convicted persons", of the Supreme State Audit Office, is that the penitentiary system is failing to change the lives of convicts. Instead of prison serving as an opportunity for education, professional training and preparation for life after release, many convicts leave the institutions where they served their sentence with the same social, economic and professional problems they had at the time of entry, and in many cases even with deeper problems.
The direct consequence of this situation is an increased risk of relapse into criminal activity. In the absence of professional skills, social support and employment opportunities, ex-convicts face serious difficulties in integrating into society.
But equally problematic is the lack of programs that aim to reflect on the crimes committed and their consequences. Without a system that helps individuals understand the harm caused and the risk of repeating criminal behavior, rehabilitation remains difficult to achieve.
The report also highlights that the 2020 Penitentiary Law is aligned with the Mandela Rules and the European Prison Rules, guaranteeing in theory dignified treatment, respect for human rights and protection from inhuman or degrading treatment. However, these standards are not fully reflected in the daily life of institutions executing criminal sentences.
Another serious problem is related to the physical conditions of prisons. According to the report, the infrastructure of some institutions is depreciated and, in certain cases, the conditions are considered unacceptable. The prisons of Rrogozhina and Lushnja are mentioned as cases where the problems are particularly pronounced.
The Ombudsman has also raised concerns about this issue.
"I believe that all prisoners should have dignified conditions in prisons. The case of Durrës prison is typical: even when it is the same prison, the treatment is not the same," said Mr. Shabani.
Meanwhile, public investments have been mainly oriented towards security and transportation, leaving aside the improvement of living environments, education and vocational training.
The audit highlights that there are no funds clearly dedicated to the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners. This means that the state cannot measure exactly how much money is invested for this purpose and what results it produces. In practice, rehabilitation is treated more as a secondary objective than as a public policy priority.
Problems also extend to rehabilitation programs. Education, vocational training, psychosocial support, and employment within prisons are considered limited and of low impact. Often, these programs are not linked to the needs of prisoners or to the demands of the labor market, making it difficult to use the skills acquired after release.
The report also raises concerns about the high use of pre-trial detention. Around 56 percent of people in the system are pre-trial detainees, a level that, according to experts, creates pressure on prison capacities and calls into question the use of alternative measures to imprisonment.
This problem has been discussed for months, and the Supreme Court has decided to review the practices. It remains to be seen how this decision will be reflected in practice.
Overcrowding in institutions makes it even more difficult to provide rehabilitation Services.
Another weak link is the lack of effective cooperation between institutions. The Ministry of Justice, the General Directorate of Prisons, the Probation Service, municipalities, educational institutions and employment agencies do not function as a coordinated system for the reintegration of former convicts. Agreements exist, but concrete results remain limited.
The report also highlights a shortage of psychologists, social workers, teachers and vocational trainers. This weakens the quality of treatment and limits the possibility of individual intervention for people in need of support.
In conclusion, the audit concludes that Albania has built a modern prison legislation, but has failed to materialize it in practice. As in many other areas of public reform, the legal framework is advanced on paper, while implementation lags significantly behind the objectives that the system itself has set./acqj.al
