Locks to Improve Prison Conditions
In November 2016, the Federal Council of Ministers approved a third masterplan in order to improve human conditions during detention. This project is based on the original plan from 2008, but is expanded with a new long-term policy and contains the following action points:
- A renovation program and construction of new cells to deal with overcrowding.
- A renovation catch-up program to ensure safe and humane living conditions.
- The construction of new facilities to replace very outdated facilities.
- New focus on alternatives for traditional sentence execution and the adaption of detention regimes within existing institutions.
This means that new security and safety doors will need to be installed. These may have a different appearance and will contain security locks, which will need to comply with both the security aspect as well as new detention regulations.
Innovative Security Locks
The security locks, which we had previously delivered for Belgian prison projects no longer seemed to meet the new specifications of this renewed master plan. B&B Locks quickly obtained as much information as possible from the Belgian FPS Justice department about the needs and requirements in terms of security and operation of the new doors. This was crucial for our R&D department to design the new and innovative prison security lock G1. In addition, we cooperated intensely with door manufacturers to ensure that our security locks could be integrated seamlessly into their door concept. We are convinced that offering “concepts” is enormously important, especially in the prison sector.
G1-2P Prison Lock
The innovative G1-2P lock consists of a mechanical lock with a massive sliding bolt, which is operated by a handle, in the door leaf. The electrical striker plate, with 2 locking pins, is mounted in the door frame. This creates an extremely resistant concept fixing the leaf to the frame. By mounting the electrical part in the fixed frame there is no need to install a sabotage and wear-sensitive cable passage. Although the pins can be unlocked electrically, the guard decides when he is ready to turn the handle in order to retract the bolt and open the door. Unpleasant surprises are thus avoided. This configuration also offers the possibility of switching to an “open regime” under certain conditions, allowing detainees to manipulate their own door. In this way, we help to meet the desire for security, humane conditions and reintegration.