Recently, a prison officer in Skien prison suffered burns in several places on his body, after an inmate threw boiling oil on him. When Helge Skjoldal (48) heard about this incident, his own painful experience flared up again. – It is clear that it affects me. It rips up my old case, he says. Skjoldal himself was beaten up at work, and his life was never the same. Received permanent injuries Skjoldal was 31 years old and at the start of his career as a prison officer. At a joint meeting in Sem prison in Tønsberg on Christmas Day in 2005, two prisoners had decided to escape. – One strangled me, while the other held my colleague. I got free, but he came screaming at me and yanked the key out of his belt. Skjoldal suffered four fractures in his jaw after the violent incident. The nerves in his face were so damaged that he has operated nine times. MANY TREATMENTS: Helge Skjoldal has undergone many treatments with needles to freeze and burn nerves that are damaged in the face. Photo: Private After this, he struggles with chronic headaches and pain, and is dependent on medication several times a day. He received disability benefits two years ago. Now Skjoldal is warning against planned cuts in correctional services, and fears an unsafe everyday life for the employees. – There are things like this that happen in prison, and which must be taken seriously. How big an incident has to happen before they realize that it is important to take staffing into account and improve security? – Never experienced such a serious injury The incident in Skien prison on 31 July this year has now been reported to the police. The colleagues are affected by the incident, according to acting head of the prison, Roar Gran. – We have never experienced an incident with such serious injuries to an employee. We have had attacks on employees before, but without this fatal outcome. SERIOUS: – It affects our everyday life, says Acting Prison Manager at Skien Prison, Roar Gran about the incident where an employee got boiling oil all over him. Photo: Ole Realf Vanebo The prison officer suffered burns in several places on his body after he was attacked with boiling oil by an inmate. He has now been discharged from hospital, but still needs medical treatment. – The injuries are serious, and perhaps more serious than first thought, says Gran. The prison will now review the incident, to see if they should change the routines. – A reminder The oil attack took place in a department with particularly high security. The incident cannot be linked directly to the finances of the prison, but the staff fear that less money means less security. – It is a reminder that we have a number of people who are a danger to others if the safety and arrangements around others are not well taken care of, says deputy chairman of the Norwegian Prison and Probation Association (NFF) at Skien prison, Ole Martin Aanensen. CONCERNED: Deputy head of the Norwegian Prison and Probation Association (NFF) at Skien prison, Ole Martin Aanensen, is concerned about the future. Photo: Stian Wåsjø Simonsen / news Already last year, employees at Skien prison warned that the cuts could be dramatic. Nevertheless, new cuts of millions will be implemented in the future. This summer, the Norwegian Prison and Probation Association sent a message of concern to Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl. Between NOK 250 and 300 million has been reduced in the operating budget from 2015, the union writes. The Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness takes the issues very seriously, promises John-Erik Vika in the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness. – Norwegian prisons must be a safe place for both inmates and staff. Correctional services received NOK 50 million more in the state budget. Next year, the Correctional Service will receive NOK 100 million, Vika points out. MUST CUT: Trade union representatives are concerned about safety in the future with new million-dollar cuts in Skien prison. Photo: Solfrid Leirgul Øverbø / news
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Fears worse security with new cuts in prisons – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
