What does it mean to build the first security prison?

Based on a new prison in the land of Stóra-Hraun in the coming years and will take over Litla-Hraun as the country’s largest prison. Its price tag has risen somewhat since the project was first announced last year.

Stóra-Hraun will be the country’s first security prison, but no prison in Iceland has so far been classified as a security prison, although Litla-Hraun has been used as such. But what is the imprisonment of being a security prison and why was not the prison in Hólmsheiði built as such, but it was opened in 2016?

From 14.4 billion to 17.8 billion

A new prison at Stóra-Hraun was introduced last year by the Minister of Justice. It was then expected that the structure would be completed by the end of 2028 and would cost 14.4 billion. It was decided to go into the construction of a new prison instead of a reform at Litla-Hraun due to high costs that were expected to cost the improvements.

Last month was published Notice on the Cabinet website where further information was presented on the implementation. Among other things, it was stated that the estimated cost is now ISK 17.8 billion at the first phase of the project, but that cost is said to fall in the years 2026 to 2030.

It had previously been reported that the cost had already doubled since the first was announced a new prison in 2023, when it was estimated that the cost would be about seven billion.

It is hoped that construction will begin soon, but in the wake of the first phase, it is planned to start the second phase.

84 cells first for the time

In the first phase of the work, 84 cells are expected on large lava and until the prison will be completed, several cells on Little Hraun will be used at the same time. It is therefore expected that there will be room for about 90 to 98 prisoners at any given time. When the prison for large lava is completed, it is expected to host up to 128 prisoners.

When preparation was underway for the preparation of the prison in Hólmsheiði, there was often talk of a security prison in Iceland, which was stated, among other things, in the speeches of MPs. However, the result was to build a prison that is classified as a detention and reception prison.

A journalist was curious to know what the difference is in such a prison and security prison, why Hólmsheiði was not built as a security prison and also whether Litla-Hraun today is not considered some kind of security prison.

Hólmsheiði should be “Very flexible to use« 

The Ministry of Justice’s replies state that one of the goals of the construction of the prison in Hólmsheiði was to build a new prison instead of older and smaller prisons in Reykjavik, which was closed with the advent of Hólmsheiði. Then the new prison was to take care of the short -term detention and can handle prisoners in isolation and to have a closed ward for women in prison.

« The prison was intended to be very flexible to use and can carry out many different tasks at the same time. The prison works well for that purpose, but in its design and construction there were no standards of security levels, » says the ministry’s reply.

Four different levels of security in closed prisons

The security level referred to are four, from 0 up to 3, but in order to be classified as a security prison, prison must be on levels 0 and up to 2, where level 0 includes the highest safety requirements. Security prisons can be closed prison, but they are not considered a security prison.

Says in the ministry’s reply that if the prison in Hólmsheiði should have been a security prison and thus at least at security level 2, the housing would have had to be considerably larger and all its external framework and access control will be much more extensive. However, this would have called for higher expenses. As mentioned earlier, it was decided that Hólmsheiði would be detention and reception prison that is classified at security level 3, not a security prison.

Is not a security prison but used as such

If we return to Litla-Hraun and Stóra-Hraun, Litla-Hraun has not fulfilled the conditions that are set for imprisonment to be considered a security prison. « It has nevertheless been used as such, but the consequences are more difficult to ensure the safety of prisoners and employees sufficiently well. The facilities there are also not good enough to ensure the rights of all prisoners, especially those who are stored in high security conditions, » says the ministry’s response.

Stóra-Hraun, however, is intended to make up for this and will operate at security level 2 according to the answer. Then there will also be cells and facilities at security level 1 and at the same time it will be possible to have part of the prison at security level 3 if needed, ie. At the same level of security as Hólmsheiði is today.

However, there will be no maximum security prison (security level 0), or what in English is called « Maximum Security Prison ».

Another overview of the prison that will be based on Stóra-Hraun, but that earth stands next to Litla-Hraun, where the country’s largest prison is now.

Computer

As can be seen in the drawings that have been published by the proposed prison on Stóra-Hraun, it will consist of several buildings and a large prison park, which will be divided, but according to the drawing there will be a football field in the garden. Around the garden there will be such a variety of fences or other kinds of obstacles to prevent someone from entering or out.