In 2012, Stig Millehaugen was sentenced to the law’s most severe punishment of 21 years’ detention and a ten-year minimum sentence for murder. On Wednesday, the police sounded the alarm when he did not return to Trondheim prison after leave. Already last summer, the Norwegian Prison and Probation Service (KDI) recommended opening up for the use of an ankle brace with GPS for detainees on leave or probation. – It is because many who have custody have serious sentences, and for safety reasons I think that this group should be considered for foot shackles. That is the victory of the director of KDI, Lise Sannerud. An ankle brace could also give more people the opportunity to take leave, says the director. Interpol has published an international search for Stig Millehaugen. The ad looks like this on their website. Photo: Screenshot / Interpol The recommendation is available at the Ministry of Justice. Want anklet as a minimum requirement Last year, the prison service issued around 22,000 leave. According to Sannerud, there were 14 cases where the inmate did not return at the right time. In light of the Millehaugen case, leader of the Justice Committee in the Storting, Per-Willy Amundsen (Frp), will put forward a proposal to put foot shackles on dangerous inmates during leave. Tenant in the Justice Committee in the Storting, Per-Willy Amundsen (Frp). He was himself Minister of Justice from the end of 2016 until the beginning of 2018. Photo: Håkon Benjaminsen / news When asked why he did not put forward the proposal when he himself was Minister of Justice, Amundsen answers that he found it surprising that Millehaugen did not get an anklet. – It is perceived as a hole in the system, because it is not new for the justice sector to use electronic control. So far, KDI does not have the opportunity to provide foot shackles for inmates who are going on leave. Justice policy spokesman in the Conservative Party, Sveinung Stensland, thinks it is initially problematic that detainees are released on leave. – This case absolutely demonstrates that things can go wrong. Here we have to look at new measures, he says. He points out that these prisoners are people the judicial system has said that society must be protected extra against. Justice policy spokesman in the Conservative Party, Sveinung Stensland. Photo: Olav Døvik / news Therefore, he thinks Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) should look at whether the guidelines for remand prisoners are good enough. – The Minister of Justice can address this immediately, says Stensland. news has not yet succeeded in getting a comment from the Minister of Justice. Johan Lothe is a member of the Wayback Foundation, which works for criminals’ return to society. He himself has a seat in prison. – For us, this looked like a life sentence. It seems that the FRP is not interested in those who have been convicted to return to society. Leader of the Wayback Foundation, Johan Lothe. The foundation works for the return of criminals to society. Photo: Håkon Benjaminsen / news Lothe points out that it is difficult for those sentenced to detention to take leave in the first place, and when they do, it is a matter of a few hours. – There is no motivation for the convicts to do what it takes to become good citizens. The foundation believes that an anklet on leave is the wrong way to proceed, and that it is wrong for one person to bring consequences for so many others. – You can run off with an ankle brace as well. On the other hand, he thinks it can be a good measure if it is a question of a longer leave with accommodation. Need a thorough assessment The proposal that came in July 2021 is before the Ministry of Justice. The Minister of Justice has not had the opportunity to comment on the case to news. Deputy chair of the Justice Committee, Maria Aasen-Svensrud (Labor Party), believes that the proposal from Amundsen must be discussed thoroughly and that they must familiarize themselves with the recommendations from KDI. Deputy chair of the Justice Committee, Maria Aasen-Svensrud from the Labor Party. Photo: Håkon Benjaminsen / news – If some of what is needed to ensure good routines around the leave scheme is a GPS, then we must make an assessment of it. Aasen-Svensrud has not seen the recommendation from KDI itself, but thinks the proposal from Amundsen is a bit premature. – Strengthens the total security At the beginning of 2021, the Ministry of Justice asked the Norwegian Prison and Probation Service (KDI) for recommendations related to electronic control, ie the use of an anklet. “Digital control measures will mean that both more frequent and more effective controls can be carried out and that the overall security is significantly strengthened,” the report from KDI states. They therefore recommended opening up to use foot shackles with GPS on detainees who are on bail or who are on probation, KDI informs news. If the person on leave moves outside the leave area, the alarm will go off. The same will happen if the person cuts off the ankle, KDI explains. Director Sannerud explains that the foot shackle can also be timed, so that the alarm will go off if the inmate is not back within the right time.
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Recommended foot shackles for dangerous criminals on leave a year ago – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
