Smart prison solution adopted in two more prisons in Finland

The Smart Prison Project carried out successfully several reforms concerning the digital services of the prison and probation clients in Finland between 2018 and 2022. The most significant was the new prison for women in Hämeenlinna, which was the first smart prison offering personal cell terminals and a digital service system for all prisoners.

In a smart prison, each prison cell is equipped with a personal laptop that functions as a terminal, which the prisoners can use to access digital services. The prisoners can use the cell terminal to communicate by messages or video calls inside the prison and, with certain limitations, by video calls and emails outside the prison. The cell terminal has limited access to the internet via the intranet start page called Portti, which contains links to different external websites and can actually be used by all prisoners and probation clients.

Based on the feedback collected in April 2023, the staff and prisoners are satisfied with the smart prison system and the prisoners use the digital services actively every day. The digital services do not, however replace human interaction and the individual work with prisoners but reinforce and expand the services of the Prison and Probation Service and support the rehabilitation of prisoners.

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred the digitalisation of the contacts between the prisoners and the authorities and stakeholders; most of the contacts are now arranged by using, among others, video calls. The personal cell terminals enable prisoners to study in their cells as distance learning and communicate more flexibly with people close to them. In addition, the prisoners can manage their affairs, for instance, with the prison staff and the polyclinic of the Health Care Services for Prisoners independently. The prisoner email system makes it easier to communicate with, among others, their lawyers the place where they study.

In December 2022, the smart prison solution was introduced in Pyhäselkä Prison and it will cover all wards in May 2023. In September 2023, Kylmäkoski Prison will also become a smart prison.

Smart prison brings various social and financial benefits

The introduction of the smart prison solution in closed prisons brings many financial benefits as different processes can be turned digital and, for instance, prisoner transports and visits do not require as much time and money. It also improves prison security when the human resources can be used somewhere else than supervising prisoner transports or visits.

The smart prison solution has increased the amount and availability of the services meant for prisoners and improved the prisoners’ ability to maintain close relationships during the sentence term that support a life without crime. Electronic interaction and the use of digital services promote the prisoners’ reintegration into society and enable more extensive and self-directed opportunities for rehabilitation during imprisonment.

The smart prison concept has attracted much interest both nationally and internationally. Hämeenlinna Prison has received several visitor groups abroad interested in the operation of a smart prison and the concept has been presented in various international conferences and articles. Many countries aim to adopt similar smart prison solutions in their own systems.

Further information:
Pia Puolakka, Senior Specialist, Team Leader, tel. +358 50 528 9042, pia.puolakka(at)om.fi