In Latvia, with the support of a grant from the Norwegian government, two new women's prisons will be established — in Cesis and Olaine. The project, costing over 17 million euros, provides for modern infrastructure and resocialization programs.
A new facility for 92 inmates is planned to be built in Cesis, and another for 50 inmates in Olaine, reports LSM+. Currently, the only women's prison in Latvia is located in the capital's Ilguciems district. It houses 188 inmates, and their number is gradually decreasing.
It is planned that the new building in Cesis will also include a section for mothers with children up to four years old, said Dmitrijs Kalins, head of the Prison Administration: "We plan to relocate the prison from Ilguciems to Cesis because, through research and preparation for the project, we understand that it is economically unfeasible and inefficient to repair or develop the old infrastructure in Ilguciems.
The infrastructure should be part of the penal system and ensure resocialization, being appropriate and suitable — for example, there should be double cells with showers and toilets in the cells, which allows for compliance with privacy and hygiene requirements. And to implement educational programs — classrooms are needed, not makeshift ones, but specially equipped ones, so this is very important."
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