Belgium's correctional history has been marked by long periods of governmental and political indifference toward correctional policy and practice, which has left the development of the field to leading practitioners. Most of the prisons were built in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with designs based on the concepts of cellular segregation and religious reform. Architecture thus limits the implementation of more communal regimes. Reforms have stemmed from various critical incidents and periods in Belgian corrections, as well as the presence in leadership positions of practitioners trained in criminology. Within the last few years, the first draft Prison Act was prepared for the purpose of regulating the legal status of inmates; and there has been a draft of reform legislation for internment. It remains to be seen whether there will be sufficient political will in the Federal Government and Parliament to enact these drafts. At the regional level, the most significant development may be the involvement of the regional communities in the social reintegration of prisoners. Among the current issues that must be addressed are prison overcrowding, electronic monitoring of offenders, the lack of a prison policy model, victims' rights issues, and compliance with international standards of human rights in Belgian prisons. 25 references, Web sites, and appended draft legislation and organizational chart of prison administration