78 prison sentences became time-barred in Iceland last year

Seventy-eight prison sentences in Iceland became time-barred without being served last year, more than double the 38 recorded a decade earlier, mbl.is reported, citing Ragna Bjarnadóttir, director of the Prison Administration, in Morgunblaðið’s Dagmál programme.

Ragna said the increase had coincided with growing pressure on the prison system. The number of prison years imposed by courts had risen sharply, she said, while prison capacity had not expanded at the same pace.

“These are, of course, not good signals,” Ragna said when asked whether the situation could affect offenders’ behaviour. She said the justice system could not fulfil its role properly unless all its parts were functioning, including the enforcement of sentences after investigations, prosecutions and court rulings.

The Prison Administration is trying to use all available measures to prevent sentences from becoming time-barred, Ragna said, but those efforts have not been fully successful. She said it was important to reverse the trend.