Finnish prison guard training reform faces strong opposition over safety concerns

A planned reform to Finland’s prison guard training system—intended to address severe staff shortages—has drawn sharp criticism from professionals and trainees who warn it could further compromise prison security, an investigation by Yle’s MOT programme reveals.

The Criminal Sanctions Agency (Rikosseuraamuslaitos, Rise) proposes allowing temporary guards to complete qualifications while working, shifting part of the training into prisons and expanding online instruction. But interviews with over 20 current and former Rise employees, as well as trainees, expose deep scepticism about the changes.

Critics argue the reform risks lowering training standards and worsening safety in facilities already stretched by understaffing and overcrowding. Many question how prisons—where supervisors already struggle to allocate time for mentoring—could absorb additional training duties. Trainees also report difficulties with self-directed online learning, with some describing the feedback on remote coursework as “devastating.”

Kai Hakio, a 50-year-old trainee guard at Hämeenlinna Women’s Prison, called the reform “an incomprehensible idea,” warning that reliance on senior colleagues for instruction could lead to inconsistent practices across prisons. “Unfortunately, we’ll soon be in a situation where our prisons lack professionally skilled guards,” he told MOT.

At the Criminal Sanctions Agency’s training centre, newer trainees like Roosa Lempiälä and Milla Määttänen—part of a pilot group testing the hybrid model—report struggling with remote lessons. “It feels completely different learning from a screen versus being there in person,” Lempiälä said, though she acknowledged the change was unavoidable: “This is the situation now, so there’s no choice.”

Pauli Nieminen, the Rise director overseeing the reform, defended the plan, insisting it will create jobs and improve staffing levels. But opponents, including training unit head Johanna Huusko, note that student evaluations of the pilot have been overwhelmingly negative, with many requiring extra support to keep up.

Finland’s prisons have faced chronic guard shortages for years, forcing facilities to lock inmates in cells for extended periods and raising concerns about escalating violence. While Rise frames the reform as a necessary fix, critics argue it sidesteps systemic issues—like low pay and high turnover—without addressing the root causes of the staffing crisis.