The trend of an increased number of reported cases of threats and violence between inmates in prisons continued in 2024, notes the Prison and Probation Service in its annual report.
The increase was 25 percent, from 1,111 cases in 2023 to 1,398 cases.
The Prison and Probation Service also warns that the violence in 2024 appears to have become more severe and increases the risks of violence with fatal outcomes.
Two other trends are also highlighted. The violence was more often committed openly in front of staff, and groups of five to seven inmates attacked a single inmate.
Cause: Overcrowding
The Prison and Probation Service's overall assessment is that the violence had a clear link to overcrowding and that many inmates shared living quarters with another inmate. This led to more conflict areas in daily life between inmates. This was reinforced by a general lack of meaningful activities in institutions where more and more inmates had to share the space.
"Such circumstances created an increased sense of boredom among inmates and led to recurring frustration and irritation," it states in the annual report.
There was also a continued trend of inmates trying to get relocated or have a new inmate's placement removed by committing violence. Many of the violent incidents occurred between inmates who shared living quarters.
The Prison and Probation Service increased the number of places by 1,600 in institutions and remand prisons during the year. The majority of these were added through double occupancy.
Increased Risk-Taking
The increase in the number of clients with links to organized crime is seen as another reason for the strained security situation.
Furthermore, more prisoners were placed in institutions with the lowest security class to create space in institutions with the highest security class. This meant an increased deliberate risk-taking, writes the Prison and Probation Service.
It was in institutions with the lowest security class that the large increase in violence and threats occurred in 2024.
Threats and violence against the Prison and Probation Service's employees and other staff also increased in the institutions: From 1,077 to 1,341.
Remand Prison
Threats: 120 (2023: 95)
Violence: 161 (100)
Total: 281 (195)
Institution
Threats: 551 (424)
Violence: 847 (687)
Total: 1,398 (1,111)
Source: The Prison and Probation Service's annual report for 2024
Remand Prison
Threats: 711 (2023: 734)
Violence: 617 (580)
Total: 1,328 (1,314)
Institution
Threats: 901 (780)
Violence: 440 (297)
Total: 1,341 (1,077)
Source: The Prison and Probation Service's annual report for 2024
