Editorial: El País

• Unprecedented protests were triggered by Catalan prison officials following the death of a prison worker at the hands of an inmate.
• Officials have expressed a growing sense of insecurity in prison centers, and assaults have increased, especially after Covid confinement measures.
• The blockage of access to the prisons forced to lock up prisoners in their cells due to lack of staff, a situation that endangers the rights of inmates and coexistence in prisons.
• The situation took the Generalitat by surprise, who has exclusive competence over prisons, showing a lack of coordination between Justice and Interior.
• Prison officials have formed a movement beyond traditional unions, whose refusal to negotiate with Justice exacerbates the conflict.
• The unions demand the resignation of a senior Justice official, exposing a tension over the Catalan penitentiary model and its focus on rehabilitation and reinsertion.

Conclusion: It is essential that the Govern addresses the legitimate demands of prison workers and faces the challenge of balancing the need for security and authority with prisoner reinsertion policies.

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