Iceland breaks ground on first high-security prison

Iceland has begun construction of its first high-security prison, as Justice Minister Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir criticised the number of prison sentences that expire before they are served. The comments and details of the project were reported by mbl.is.

“It sends a profoundly unhealthy message to both society and the offender if the police investigate a criminal case, prosecutors bring charges, a court sentences you to prison, and then nothing happens. It is absurd,” Gunnlaugsdóttir said.

Ragna Bjarnadóttir, director of the Prison and Probation Administration, said 78 prison sentences expired last year. That was more than double the 38 cases recorded a decade earlier.

Gunnlaugsdóttir called the situation a serious disrespect to victims and the public interest, saying that crime must have consequences for society to function. She added that authorities try to prioritise prison for people convicted of the most serious offences.

The justice minister, Bjarnadóttir and the mayor of Árborg took the first spadefuls of soil at the planned prison at Stóra-Hraun on Tuesday. The prison is expected to accommodate 128 inmates when complete.

The project will be built in two phases. The first is estimated to cost 17.8 billion Icelandic krónur and will include accommodation for 56 inmates, a school building, a workshop, a warehouse and an entrance building. The second phase will include a 16-inmate security unit, a 56-inmate model unit, another workshop, staff housing and staff parking.

Asked whether the new prison would ease overcrowding, Gunnlaugsdóttir said the system would have more places than it does now. Iceland currently has around 180 prison places, including some remand capacity. She said opening 56 places at the new prison while retaining 80 at Litla-Hraun would increase capacity, and added that other measures were also under way.

She said the government also wanted to prevent crime through clearer action at the borders and stronger international police cooperation. She cited legislation approved by parliament last session that provides for foreign prisoners with few ties to Iceland to leave the country immediately after serving their sentences.