Prison chief wants to end waiting list by 2034

Ragna Bjarnadóttir, head of Iceland’s Prison Administration, wants to eliminate the waiting list for people waiting to serve prison sentences by 2034, mbl.is reported.

Speaking on the Dagmál programme, Bjarnadóttir said she wants the prison system to be able to handle its responsibilities sustainably. She stressed that this is a policy goal and that decisions on the measures needed must be made in the coming years.

Iceland currently has about 175 prison places, she said. The government plans to add 15 places at Sogn next year. The first phase of a new high-security prison at Stóra-Hraun is due to open in 2031, with capacity for 56 prisoners. The phase is fully funded. When the second phase is completed in 2034, the facility will have 128 places in total.

However, the new prison will largely replace Litla-Hraun, so its capacity will not represent 128 additional places. Taking into account the planned expansion at Sogn and the closure of older prison accommodation, Bjarnadóttir expects the number of places to rise by 50 to 60 over the next seven to eight years, reaching about 225 to 235.

To address delays in serving sentences, she also suggested temporary prison accommodation and greater use of alternatives to imprisonment. She said the effects of changes across the enforcement system should be considered together, rather than examining individual measures in isolation.

Bjarnadóttir said it was her responsibility to put forward proposals, but that ministries, the government, parliament and society would also need to contribute to making them happen.