In some of Europe's wealthiest nations, including Belgium, severe prison overcrowding has led to conditions that human rights advocates describe as inhumane. Cells designed for one inmate now hold two or three, and violent incidents are on the rise as tensions flare in cramped spaces.
"Like mice in a cage," one inmate described the experience.
Governments are scrambling for solutions, from early release programs to building new facilities, but critics argue that decades of tough-on-crime policies and underfunding have created a crisis that won't be easily solved. The situation underscores a broader failure to balance public safety with humane treatment of prisoners.