Spaces
Prison buildings in Norway contain largely the same elements combined in various ways, reflecting the double mandate of prison policy to punish and to rehabilitate the prisoner. These elements are spaces for control and isolation; for work, education, training, and welfare services; and for administration. There are housing units with cells and common space.
Prisoners’ access to buildings and spaces is standardized and regulated according to time of day and day of the week. Similar to society outside prison, work and education take place from 8am until around 3pm.
Unlike in society outside, the time after work and education is also regulated and limited, allowing for access to the gym, library and outdoor space (lufting) for specific periods of time.
In the morning and the afternoon, cell doors are left open for periods of time, and prisoners may use the common space and visit each other’s cells. This is time for talking, making food, playing table tennis, board games, etc. In large units, prisoners organize in small groups. Some prisoners stay in their cell most of the day.
Control
Wall
Control & Security
Isolation
Guard station
Housing
Cell
Unit
Rehabilitation & welfare
Workshop
Rehabilitation
Gym & training
Portal
Yard
Yard
Other
Offices
Circulation
Windows
Halden Prison 1st floor
Halden Prison, 2nd floor
Eidsberg Prison, 1st & 2nd floor
TIME
Days include time locked in the cell, time in the unit, time at work or school, and time outdoors. The daily routine includes isolation in the cell from early evening to early morning. Daily routines vary: this is an example.
Cell
Unit
Workshop
Yard
Prisoners in full-time isolation are locked in the cell, either a regular or an isolation cell, for 23 hours per day, with one hour outdoors on their own.
In some prisons, prisoners are allowed out in common spaces for exercise and talk, for periods of time.
Isolation
Yard
Prisoners often spend more time locked in the cells or in the units, because fewer staff work on weekends. Holidays are the same.
Cell
Unit
Yard
