Finnish prisons suffer from overcrowding, which has spurred more violence behind bars. This year, new cell blocks are being built at prisons in Helsinki and Kylmäkoski to accommodate 180 prisoners. Other planned moves will expand capacity by around 450 beds.
This comes as prison officials report a spike in violent incidents in recent years, both between prisoners and between prisoners and staff. There is a violent incident in a Finnish prison about every other day on average.
In 2024, there were 140 recorded cases of inmate-on-inmate violence, up from 83 in 2021. During the same period, the number of assaults on staff members rose from 30 to 35.
Inmates housed in sauna changing rooms
Experts consider 90 percent to be a safe occupancy rate for a prison. However, nearly all of the country’s prisons have an occupancy rate of over 100 percent.
In January, there were 3,656 prisoners in Finland – with a prison capacity of 3,000.
The situation is worst in the nation’s largest prison, Helsinki’s Sörnäinen prison for men. Last year, the 309-bed facility had nearly 400 inmates. Some prisoners had to be temporarily housed in meeting rooms and sauna changing rooms.
"The overcrowding situation significantly hinders the prison's ability to effectively limit active criminal activity that continues during imprisonment, as well as pressure and threats directed at other prisoners," prison director Danila Gangnuss told Yle.
This year, Helsinki Prison will gain 120 additional places while Kylmäkoski Prison will expand by 60. The latter is located in Akaa, Pirkanmaa.
The new cell sections will be built using modular construction, which will enable rapid deployment.
New prison near Tampere
The number of prisoners has risen partly due to stricter legislation and longer sentences.
To help alleviate the need for more space, an additional building will be built at Turku Prison and a cell block from the old Pelso Prison in Vaala, North Ostrobothnia, will be moved to Hämeenlinna Prison.
A completely new prison will also be built in Lempäälä, Pirkanmaa, near Tampere.
Altogether, these measures will bring approximately 450 new prison places.
