A prisoner can be imposed a disciplinary punishment if, for instance, the prisoner commits an offence in prison for which the maximum expected punishment is a fine, exits from an open institution or a health-care institution without authorisation, breaches the conditions of a prison leave permit, a study permit or a permit to participate in outside activities, or breaches the prison rules.

Disciplinary punishments imposed for disciplinary infractions are the following:

1. Caution

2. Loss of rights
* at most 30 days
* may concern buying or possessing of goods, use of money or participation in leisure time activities

3. Solitary confinement
* at most 14 days

The imposition of a disciplinary punishment is decided by the prison director. The most common disciplinary punishment is solitary confinement. Apart from the caution, the disciplinary punishment may also be ordered as conditional. The prisoner has the right to appeal against a disciplinary punishment imposed on him or her. The appeal is lodged by submitting a written claim for rectification, which is decided by the region director. The decision made by the region director can be appealed to the Administrative Court.

In 2009, a total of 1 710 disciplinary punishments were ordered in prisons. Punishments were imposed for the following infractions:

• use of intoxicating substances 28.7%
• infraction of the duty to participate 1%
• violent infractions 4.5%
• infraction of the prison leave conditions 14.5%
• other disciplinary infractions 51.3%