The Women's Prison in Pogradec is inaugurated, should we applaud or "put our hands" on our heads?

In a ceremony held today, the new women's prison in Pogradec was inaugurated. The Minister of Justice, Ulsi Manja, described this project as an important achievement for the justice system in the country, "selling" it as a great success in improving the conditions of imprisonment and rehabilitation of convicted women.

" This new prison offers modern and dignified conditions for convicted women, giving them the opportunity for rehabilitation and reintegration into society, " said Minister Manja during his opening speech.

He added that the project is a step forward in improving the penal system and respecting human rights.

We Albanians are a strange people, we turn abnormal things into normal. As we do such a ceremony that we inaugurate a prison, where should we do a ceremony if these prisons would decrease and the crime rate in the country would decrease.

Focusing on building new prisons is not the right solution for the challenges of the justice system in Albania.

The focus should be on reducing the number of prisoners through law reforms and social policies aimed at crime prevention and rehabilitation of convicts outside prisons.

Funds and efforts should be directed towards programs that prevent crime and promote the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners into society.

While it remains to be seen if this prison will serve as a positive model for improving the justice system in the country, or if it will encourage more calls for deep reforms and the reduction of prisons in Albania.

Should we be moving towards reducing prisons?

In an ideal society, we should aim to reduce prisons and improve the functioning of justice. This objective can be achieved through several key measures:

1. Reforming Criminal Laws

- *Decriminalization of minor offenses*: Many minor offenses that currently lead to imprisonment could be decriminalized or resolved through alternative sentences such as community service.

- *Use of Alternative Sentencing*: Establishing more options for alternative sentencing, such as electronic monitoring, substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation programs, can reduce the need for prisons.

2. Prevention and Rehabilitation

- *Education and employment*: Educational programs and employment opportunities for young people and vulnerable groups can prevent crime before it happens.

- *Rehabilitation of convicts*: Providing post-release rehabilitation and support programs for prisoners to help reintegrate them into society.

3. Improvement of the Justice System

- *Reducing corruption*: Fighting corruption within the justice system and ensuring a fair trial for all.

- *Acceleration of judicial processes*: Reducing the waiting time for trial and ensuring that prisoners are not held longer than necessary in detention.

4. Focus on Human Rights

- *Fair and humane treatment*: Ensuring that all prisoners are treated with dignity and respect, according to international human rights standards.

- *Monitoring and supervision*: Independent institutions must supervise and monitor the conditions in prisons and the treatment of prisoners.

By following these measures, Albania can work towards a more efficient and humane justice system, reducing the need for prisons and improving the quality of life for all citizens.