– This is a deeply tragic and sad incident, says assistant regional director Brit Kari Kirkeeide in the Correctional Service. On Saturday morning, an inmate in Bredtveit women’s prison took his own life. The suicide happened in the kitchen around breakfast time. news receives information from several sources. Both inmates and staff became horrified witnesses. Among them the daughter of Wenche. – I was completely shocked. Whew, says Wenche about what her daughter witnessed. We only use her first name, for the sake of the daughter. Wenche reacts to how her daughter was cared for after witnessing a suicide in Bredtveit prison. Photo: Stein Ove Korneliussen / news Witnesses locked up In prison, they are still haunted. An inmate news has spoken to tells of people who cry openly and despair over what they have seen. Wenche reacts to how her daughter was followed up by the prison. Because after the suicide, she and the other inmates were locked in the cells. There, her traumatized daughter sat alone for eight hours, according to Wenche. Without getting food or having anyone to talk to. – It doesn’t belong anywhere at home, she says. Wenche is worried about her daughter, who is incarcerated at Bredtveit. Photo: Stein Ove Korneliussen / news Brit Kari Kirkeeide in the Correctional Service responds on behalf of the prison. She says locking up prisoners “for a shorter or longer period” may be necessary to get an overview after such an incident. – It may also be necessary for the police to carry out their crime scene work. According to Kirkeeide, the police came to the scene shortly after the suicide to talk to those involved. Suicide and sick prisoners Norway’s largest women’s prison receives prisoners from all over the country. Many with mental problems, according to the prison itself. Last year VG revealed that Bredtveit is the prison with the most cases of self-harm and suicide attempts in the whole country. At the beginning of February, the sickest prisoners were urgently transferred to a separate ward at Ullersmo. The aim of the move was, among other things, to have more time to prioritize the other inmates. Nevertheless, one of them took his own life barely a month and a half later. The prison will not comment on the state of health of the woman who took her own life, or what kind of help she received there. VG mentioned the suicide first. The outdoor area of Bredtveit women’s prison. The picture was taken in connection with another matter. Photo: Anders Fehn / news Crisis team in the prison On Sunday, a crisis team was in to assist, and the prison says they follow up those who need it. But Wenche is not confident that her daughter will get the help she needs. – No, I’m certainly not, she says. According to the Norwegian Correctional Service, nine out of ten prisoners show signs of mental problems. And Bredtveit receives more and more seriously ill prisoners, they confirm. Which, among other things, has led to an increase in suicide attempts. – Inmates do not receive good enough health care as the situation is now. We are worried, says Stian Estenstad in the Red Cross offer Nettverk ert soning. UN criticism Sick inmates require a lot of follow-up from the prison staff. At the same time, the financial situation is demanding, according to Kirkeeide in the Correctional Service. – This means that we have limited capacity to follow up all inmates at the same time when serious incidents occur. The result can then be that inmates have to be locked up while the staff follow up on the emergency that is happening, she confirms. Also those who are in wards where they should be able to walk quite freely. Last year, news wrote about the conditions in the prison, which are in great need of updating. Only six percent of all inmates in Norway are women. Both the UN and the Civil Bombing Committee have established that women in Norway have worse prison terms than men.
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– Deeply tragic and sad – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
