Catalonia’s plan to expand semi-freedom for prisoners is falling short. The government set a goal of placing 30 percent of inmates in open regimes by 2025, but the figure has fallen to 22 percent, a 14.4 percent decrease over five years. Legal obstacles and changes in the prison population are making the target harder to reach.
Officials acknowledge the problem. Domingo Estepa, director of Penitentiary Affairs, says the current situation makes the original goal nearly impossible. The government has quietly lowered its target to 25 percent. The gap between policy and reality is widening, even as Catalonia continues to promote itself as a leader in open prison policies.
The president of the Constitutional Court, Cándido Conde-Pumpido, announced that the court will begin reviewing amparo appeals related to the Catalan amnesty law on September 22. Some cases are expected to be resolved by the end of the year.
One major challenge is the rising number of foreign inmates, many without legal residency or stable ties in Spain. That makes it harder for prison boards to approve third-degree status, information from the Sindicatura de Greuges. The ombudsman’s office has criticized the slow pace of granting semi-freedom, saying the system is failing to support reintegration for those who need it most.
Legal barriers have also grown. Since 2016, the Fiscalía has tripled its appeals against semi-freedom requests, particularly in serious crime cases. In 2024, prosecutors challenged 562 applications, a 26 percent increase from the previous year. Supreme Court rulings allow these appeals to suspend semi-freedom in some cases, blocking many releases.
Recent reports confirm that the legal conflict over Catalan prison policy will continue into 2026, with the Constitutional Court set to discuss amparo appeals following decisions on the amnesty law. The upcoming rulings could influence the Supreme Court’s next steps and shape the broader legal field in Catalonia.
Academic research shows the scale of the issue. Albert González Jiménez, a professor at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, analyzed 2,764 judicial decisions on prosecutor appeals in Catalonia between 2019 and 2024. He found that nearly one in three third-degree requests faced legal challenges, with prosecutors often overruling prison authorities who know the inmates best.
Some point to resistance within the prison system. Josep Cid, a criminologist at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, says many officials still treat second-degree status as the default and regard third-degree status as an exception. So, most inmates finish their sentences under stricter conditions, undermining gradual reintegration.
Even inmates who achieve semi-freedom often face setbacks. Cid’s recent study interviewed 29 inmates who lost their third-degree status in 2024. Reasons included drug use and family conflict; some inmates also failed to follow open regime rules. At times, a lack of trust or cooperation with staff made it harder to manage risks. Prosecutors can also revoke third-degree status, sending inmates back to closed conditions.
The debate over Catalonia’s prison policy reflects broader tensions elsewhere in Spain. As reported earlier, judicial intervention and administrative caution often leave vulnerable groups caught in the middle.
Catalan authorities continue to promote open regime policies and work with partner organizations to support inmates’ transition. But the numbers show that legal and demographic barriers are outpacing reform. The government’s decision to lower its targets marks a retreat from its most ambitious promises. Unless authorities address the obstacles in the courts and within the prison system, most inmates in Catalonia will not benefit from a more open, rehabilitative approach.
