Relationship uncovered between prisoner and employee at Hämeenlinna prison

A relationship between a prisoner and an employee at Hämeenlinna women’s prison was uncovered this autumn, Yle reported. Relationships between prison staff and prisoners are prohibited, says Tuomo Kärjenmäki, head of the Vanaja and Ojoinen prison units.

Such cases often end with the employee leaving their job, Kärjenmäki said. “Quite often, the cases end with the person resigning,” he said.

The Vanaja open prison has 57 places for women, while the Ojoinen open prison is for men and has 50 places. Kärjenmäki declined to discuss the recent case in detail.

Relationships can threaten prison security

Staff are expected to treat prisoners equally and guide them towards a life without crime, Kärjenmäki said. Relationships also pose a security risk: an employee could share information about colleagues or bring illegal items, such as drugs or mobile phones, into the prison.

“Some prisoners take advantage of these situations,” he said. Organised crime may also be involved in some cases.

Kärjenmäki, who has worked in the field for more than 30 years, said relationships between prisoners and staff had always occurred. They may have attracted more public attention recently, but remain relatively rare. Not all cases come to light, he said.

He would like the law to set out more clearly what conduct is permitted. The relationship uncovered in Hämeenlinna was first reported by Iltalehti.