The Ministry of Public Security has published ( 4/2009) its forecast of the need of extra spaces in prisons by 2025.
According the to forecast of the Planning, Budget and Monitoring Department of the Ministry of Public Security, the status of the criminal and security prisoners is due to grow by more than 8000 prisoners by 2025. The increase is a result, among others, of the continuation of the fierce battle against crime in Israel.
The Ministry of Public Security anticipates the shortage of prison space to only increase over the upcoming years, due to the expected 600 new spaces required every single year. The number of prison sentencing is expected to increase as well in the near future.
The past forecasts predicted only 400 new required spaces per year, but as noted, the updated prediction estimates over 600 new spaces per year.
In order to solve the shortage, an allocation of significant resources is required. In addition to the need for new prison facilities, an estimated seven billion NIS is needed to solve the shortage issue, not including the costs of building new prisons in order to switch the older ones which no longer provide proper living conditions.