The Brussels Support Centre (CAB)—which aims to prevent reoffending by sex offenders—now has a three- to four-month wait for appointments with its four psychologists. Working part-time, the team struggles to complete the detailed 15-page assessments judges rely on for cases involving children and adolescents—and probation measures.
CAB faces a rising workload of 400–500 cases per year, compared with 120 in 2011, while structural underfunding prevents hiring additional staff. Unlike similar centres in Wallonia and Flanders, CAB relies almost entirely on federal funding, which does not cover all operational costs.
To date, delays have not led to prisoner releases but the overwhelmed Brussels Criminal Court warns that excessively long waiting times could force judges to release offenders.
