Prison chief weighs ankle monitors instead of jail

Iceland’s prison administration is considering whether electronic ankle monitors could replace prison sentences in some cases, mbl.is reports. Director Ragna Bjarnadóttir also said officials are reviewing whether to extend a temporary measure allowing sentences of up to two years to be served through community service.

Speaking on the Dagmál programme, Bjarnadóttir said prison is not always the best option. She wants people who need to serve time behind bars to be admitted quickly and reliably, while also assessing when other measures may be more suitable.

She said decisions about how sentences are served should be based on which penalties are appropriate, rather than solely on a lack of prison space or operational difficulties. Electronic ankle monitors are currently used towards the end of a prison sentence, but the administration wants to consider whether they could sometimes be used instead of imprisonment altogether.

The current authorization to serve sentences of up to two years through community service is temporary and expires next year. Officials are considering extending it, potentially with certain offences excluded.

Bjarnadóttir also wants better information on reoffending rates and comparisons of outcomes for people who serve their full sentences in prison and those who complete community service.

The prison system uses a staged approach to sentence serving. Prisoners can move from a closed prison to an open prison, then to Vernd, and later to electronic monitoring and parole. The aim is to prepare them to return to society while protecting public safety, she said.