The Implementation of the European Prison Rules Regarding Education in Belgium and Ireland

Reintegration of prisoners into community life is more than one of the desired outcomes of detention; it is a right. A long-standing tradition of international standards has been developed over time to regulate individualised reintegration plans, based on learning and working activities, relations with the outside world and assistance post-release. The European Prison Rules – adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe – are an outstanding result of this normative production. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the implementation of international standards on prison education in Belgium and Ireland. The analysis of law, practices and domestic data points out the features of the prison education services in the two countries. Eventually, interviewing experts in the field allowed illustrating the initiatives that Belgium and Ireland are undertaking to respond to some current obstacles that the delivery of educational activities is facing. This research shows that despite the efforts of the two countries to comply with international standards on prison education, inadequate detention conditions – characterised by scarcity of resources and lack of specialised staff – hamper the reintegration of prisoners.