– If there is something that really keeps me up at night, it is exactly that. I think that is so terrible, says prison manager Doris Bakken at Bredtveit prison and detention centre. Prison manager Doris Bakken. Photo: Truls Alnes Antonsen / news She believes that several of the inmates should not have been in prison, but instead been treated and taken care of by the health service and psychiatry. The prison warden takes news to the security department in the women’s prison. In one of the security cells there is a bed with straps. – This is what we call a safety bed. It is something we are reluctant to use, but if they bang their heads so hard against the wall that there is a risk of brain damage, then we have to stop it, says Bakken. The prison does not have the opportunity to medicate prisoners, and therefore they resort to coercion and isolation when people act out. – It hurts when you have inmates who are mentally ill and should have received treatment and then they are forced instead, says the prison manager. A so-called security bed at Bredtveit prison and detention centre. Photo: Truls Alnes Antonsen / news Trying to take their own lives More than nine out of ten inmates in Norwegian prisons show signs of mental disorders and/or personality disorders, according to the Correctional Service. They believe the problem has increased in recent years, in line with the downsizing of inpatient places in psychiatry. Department director Heidi Bottolfs in the Directorate of Correctional Services (KDI) is concerned about many inmates who she believes do not tolerate the sentence well and should have received treatment. – There are inmates who have been diagnosed as chronically suicidal, where we see that if we do not use coercive measures on them, they actually try to kill themselves almost every day. The prisoners are a danger to both themselves and their surroundings, she believes. – There is serious self-harm, with cutting, eating glass and there is very aggressive behavior towards other inmates, but of course also towards our staff. Department director Heidi Bottolfs in the Directorate of Correctional Services (KDI). Photo: Martin Leigland / news How representative is the situation at Bredtveit women’s prison for prisons in the rest of the country? – It is representative. We know that there is an over-representation of mental disorders, self-harm and near-suicide among female inmates. Even so, this is a national problem that also applies to male inmates, but we see that it is particularly pronounced among female inmates, says Bottolfs. Are there people serving time in Norwegian prisons who absolutely should not be serving time? – We think so. The director of the department believes that it has become more difficult to admit seriously mentally ill inmates. – We believe that the admission criteria are too high for some in this group. We are also concerned that those who are actually admitted will be returned very quickly to the penitentiary, says Bottolfs. The Correctional Service says it supports the health services’ concern about the reduction of inpatient places in psychiatry. Wants political discussion Bredtveit prison and detention centre. Photo: Truls Alnes Antonsen / news The prison manager at Bredtveit prison and detention center wants money to create a national resource department for this group of inmates. She also calls for a proper political discussion about what to do with people who cannot go out freely because they can be dangerous for other people for a period of time. She is skeptical that coercion is removed in psychiatry, even if the intention is good. – Because there are people who we have to make sure do not commit dangerous acts towards other people or kill themselves. Then you move that coercion from psychiatry to the prisons or to the police, says Doris Bakken. The government promises measures Health and care minister Ingvild Kjerkol (Ap) writes in an e-mail to news: Health and care minister Ingvild Kjerkol Photo: Torstein Bøe / Torstein Bøe “We know that inmates consistently have more health problems than the rest of the population, especially related to drug problems and mental disorders. That is why we have given the regional health organizations the task of establishing local services in the field of substance abuse and mental health protection in all prisons. With regard to Bredtveit prison and detention center in particular, the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Services and the Ministry of Health and Care have given a joint assignment to the Directorate of Correctional Services and Health South-East to establish reinforced services for the seriously mentally ill in this prison. I have a close dialogue with the Minister of Justice and Emergency Management about developments in correctional services and together we will come back with new measures in the future.”
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Mentally ill inmates keep trying to kill themselves – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
