Prison tasteful: 70 in custody

The country’s prison is overcrowded. It is not least sanctified by the number that is in custody for different reasons. Birgir Jónsson, appointed CEO of the Prison and Probation Administration, says that this weekend 67-70 was in custody. Of these, about ten are in isolation for police investigations.

The detention group consists of prisoners in freezing who usually awaits the court appeals, people who have been denied a residence permit and awaits the expulsion and people in isolation for research interests.

56 The detention space is in Hólmsheiði, but Litla-Hraun has also been used for detention in freezing.

In addition, there are about 100 people in prison, but about 15 spaces at Litla-Hraun are unused due to construction.

A great challenge

« We simply solve this, » says Birgir asked about how to respond to such a situation.

How is it solved?

« We try to steer the inflow of people into the prisons. We actually set up a certain priority. Now there are an unusually many who are in custody and unusually many big issues are going on, » says Birgir. He adds, therefore, that in exceptional cases, the open prisons are used under freezing.

What would you do if there was a big case that demanded that many be taken into custody according to the ruling?

« It would be a big challenge. It is always a challenge for the system when big issues arise, » says Birgir.

Pause for detention comes to mind

Are there examples of people being released who have come a long way to put their judgment?

« There is one remedy that comes to mind, to pause the detention. It is not a good remedy at all.