Given the severe allegations against correctional officers at the Augsburg-Gablingen prison, the Federal Association of Correctional Employees (BSBD) is demanding concrete personnel consequences should the crimes be proven. Rene Müller, the BSBD chairman, stated to the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” (noz) that if prison staff engage in criminal behavior-and that is the proper description for these allegations-they must be suspended from duty without question.
While Müller decisively rejected a generalized condemnation of the entire professional group, he noted that the current reports from the Bavarian facility strongly suggest a concerning “structural hardening” adding that “it is difficult to put a positive spin on this”.
He, therefore, urged the investigating authorities to conduct a thorough and exhaustive inquiry, emphasizing that the correctional union will not pass judgment prematurely. Müller continued by saying to the noz that they often witness colleagues being accused of crimes without cause. The situation at JVA Augsburg-Gablingen is currently under intense scrutiny because officers there are alleged to have tortured and humiliated inmates over many years. Several officers have since been charged.
Furthermore, Bavarian Radio recently reported on internal chat groups within the prison where the alleged perpetrators bragged about their conduct. Even if these messages turn out to be mere showing-off, Müller, the union chief, maintains that “it is unprofessional and has no place in a correctional facility”.
