It was February. Ten young people aged 17 to 24 living at the Pramont closed educational center in Granges (VS) had attacked and locked a guard in a cell, before escaping. The last fugitive was found by the police two months after the events, in neighboring France. Their escape, the third in a year, notably called into question the security of the center, built in 1978. An investigation by “Nouvelliste”, which is based on the statements of around ten former collaborators, points out the flaws.
Starting with nighttime deliveries of alcohol, cannabis or bladed weapons to young people by outside individuals. “One day, a gun is going to come in,” warns a former employee. And the fences are powerless in the face of this traffic, just as the exterior cameras do not allow anyone to be identified in the dark, estimates another witness.
At the same time, 25 employees have resigned since the beginning of 2020. Between fights between young people or with staff, suicide attempts by inmates or even fires in the cells, the work environment takes a heavy toll, reports the Valais daily. The director’s management is also singled out. For his part, Alexandre Comby retorts that the comments collected by the newspaper “are completely out of step with the feedback I receive on a daily basis from my colleagues”.
After the escape of the ten young people in February, a private security agent was temporarily hired to help the night watchman. There are also plans to install a new secure fence, exterior lighting and motion detectors throughout the establishment. The work should be completed by the end of September, specifies the “Nouvelliste”.
