Number of people incarcerated in Hungary up by 50pc

Budapest (MTI) – The number of people incarcerated in penitentiaries in Hungary has risen by about 50 percent since 2008, state secretary Karoly Kontrat said at a press conference on Saturday.

Stricter laws give people greater security, Kontrat said.

He added that about 80 percent of those incarcerated had been put to work.

Andras Csoti, Hungary’s top prison official, said between 17,500 and 17,700 people are incarcerated in Hungary at present, although the capacity of jails and prisons is only 13,736. Cell space for another 6,000 is planned to be built by 2019, he added.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters