Life sentence: a look behind the bars of Belgian prisons

Levenslang offers the reader a glimpse behind the bars of Belgian prisons. Belgian prisons are overcrowded, the infrastructure is hopelessly outdated and there is a lack of people and resources for proper structural (after)care of (ex-)detainees. For decades, the prison system was treated like a stepchild by the government. However, the subject is high on the political agenda of the parties. In the media and politics, there is discussion about crime, the increased insecurity on the streets, the role of justice and also the punishment. Every citizen has an opinion about these themes, but few know what goes on behind bars.
Bart Demyttenaere starts from the personal experiences of five long-term prisoners. He then lets a number of 'field workers' speak: a prison director, a chaplain, a few warders, a judicial welfare worker and a judicial assistant. The reader is confronted with life stories and testimonies of people who spent years behind bars or worked. The author does not take a position, but seeks nuance and human dignity.

Levenslang also contains the results of a large-scale investigation into the image of prisoners and examines the role that the media play in this image. This thorough description of the world behind bars is supplemented with ethical considerations by a prosecutor and a criminal lawyer, and a critical interview with ministers Marc Verwilghen and Mieke Vogels.