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Lausanne prison overcrowding meeting

Monday, 5 October 2026 06:35

A new forum in Lausanne drew more than 500 people over the weekend to debate the Lake Geneva region's record prison overcrowding

Vaud and Geneva incarcerate at well above the Swiss average, even though their crime rates are similar to Zurich's.

Speakers argued that over 55% of custodial sentences in Switzerland are handed down for unpaid debts or fines, and that the detainee population could be cut by up to 80% without compromising safety.

The canton of Vaud will hold its own round-table on the penal chain in late November.

 

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