An offender sentenced to imprisonment or a conversion sentence for unpaid fines must be without delay sent to serve the sentence when the judgement has become final or enforceable.

• A sentenced offender, who is not ordered to be imprisoned at the time of sentencing, waits for the enforcement of the sentence in freedom.
• The Judicial Unit of the Criminal Sanctions Agency confirms that the sentences are enforceable and sends an enforcement order to the bailiff of the municipality of residence of the sentenced offender.
• The decision on the prison where the sentenced offender is placed, is made by the assessment centre of the criminal sanctions region, which operates in the area where the offender lives.
• The bailiff gives the sentenced offender a request to come to the district enforcement office for the determination of the grounds for the placement in prison.
• The bailiff sends a report and his or her statement to the assessment centre of the criminal sanctions region, which then notifies of the prison where and the time when the sentenced offender has to report to serve the sentence.
• The assessment centre can place an offender, who is sentenced to imprisonment not exceeding one year and/or a conversion sentence for unpaid fines, in an open institution directly on arrival from freedom. The precondition is that the sentenced offender commits to abstinence from intoxicating substances and its control.

A wrongfully imprisoned or convicted person can apply for compensation for resulting damages from the State Treasury.

Postponement of imprisonment

An application for a postponement of the enforcement of imprisonment can be made if the postponement could materially decrease the losses or difficulties resulting from imprisonment. The enforcement of imprisonment or a conversion sentence for unpaid fines is postponed if the treatment of a serious illness or serious injury of the sentenced offender would be endangered by sending the offender to prison.

• The postponement applied for on social and financial grounds is decided by the bailiff and the postponement based on an illness, injury or pregnancy is decided by the Central Administration of the Criminal Sanctions Agency. The decision of the bailiff can be appealed by submitting a claim for rectification to the region director whereas the decision made by the Central Administration of the Criminal Sanctions Agency can be appealed to the Helsinki Administrative Court.
• The postponement granted on social and financial cannot not exceed six months. A new postponement not exceeding six months may be granted only as an exception and on grounds where the date of termination is known.
• The bailiff can postpone the enforcement of a conversion sentence for unpaid fines with at most three months.

The enforcement of community sanctions cannot be postponed.