Vantaa detention center to open extension in January 2025 amid rising inmate population

Vantaa’s detention center will open a long-awaited extension in January 2025, providing additional space for the growing number of inmates. Director Tommi Saarinen noted that the current economic climate makes it impossible to offer celebratory treats, emphasizing that only inmates will receive cake. This service is necessary due to the chronic shortage of space and staffing that Finnish prisons have faced over the years amid rising incarceration rates.

A recent graph illustrates that the prison population decreased significantly from 2006 to 2021 but began rising again thereafter. Concurrently, staffing levels have decreased during this period. Vantaa’s detention center, designed for 185 inmates, has experienced overcapacity issues, at times exceeding its capacity by 60 inmates. A recent report by the Ombudsman highlighted concerns about care and conditions in the facility, which has been operating at about 130% capacity on a daily basis.

Inmates can end up confined to their cells for up to 23 hours daily due to the need for lockdowns when there isn’t enough staff to ensure safe operations. Additionally, the facility lacks designated areas for inmates serving time and has temporarily housed unconvicted detainees with those who are already sentenced, a situation the Ombudsman described as unprecedented.

The new extension will ultimately increase the facility’s capacity to around 350, marking Vantaa as Finland’s largest penal institution. However, given proposed legislative changes that are expected to increase the inmate population further, the need for additional space may exceed the new facility’s capacity. Addressing the staffing shortages remains a critical challenge, with currently around 2,600 employees for approximately 3,500 inmates in Finland.