For the first time, the prison management tells about what happened when a woman in her 30s took her own life in Bredtveit prison. On Monday, they welcomed the deceased’s parents.
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It was on Saturday 11 March at approximately 11.40 that the alarm went off in Bredtveit prison in Oslo. An inmate in his 30s had inflicted serious injuries on himself in a common area of the women’s prison.
At least two other inmates were eyewitnesses to the incident, according to prison manager Doris Bakken. A number of other inmates and employees also joined after a short time.
At 12.15 the inmate woman was pronounced dead by health personnel who had arrived at the scene and taken over lifesaving.
– The staff worked for half an hour trying to save a person dying in their hands. It was a very dramatic situation for both staff and inmates, says Bakken, who for reasons of confidentiality does not want to go into the details of the course of events.
This common area consists of a kitchen, a large corridor and a living room.
– The family is deeply saddened
The deceased woman in her 30s was a foreign citizen and had recently been convicted. It is unclear whether the judgment is legally binding.
The woman had been imprisoned in Bredtveit prison since early summer last year. On Monday this week, the woman’s parents visited the prison, having flown in from abroad.
– The meeting with the parents was a strong, but also nice session where they had the opportunity to talk to both staff and inmates who had a relationship with the deceased, and that they got an insight into her everyday life here at the prison, says Bakken.
– They have given good feedback after the visit, which they appreciated, and express that they benefited from this in their grieving process. The visit also gave us the opportunity to express our deepest condolences.
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On Wednesday, VG could say that an inmate at Bredtveit prison took his own life.
Lawyer Hans Christian Nygaard Wang, who represented the woman in the criminal case, met the family when they visited Norway this week.
– The family is in deep grief, and needs time to process what has happened. They find it difficult to understand that this could happen when the daughter was in prison. At the same time, as of today, they have no basis to say that the prison or the health care system has committed liability-related errors. They hope that the public authorities carry out supervision of the follow-up she has received while she has been in custody, especially with regard to health, writes Wang in an e-mail to VG.
VG has asked the prison management a number of questions about the health follow-up of the woman, but they refer to the duty of confidentiality and that questions about health must be directed to the district of Bjerke, which is responsible for the health follow-up of inmates in the prison.
VG has asked the same questions to the district today, but has not yet received an answer.
– Strongly affected
An inmate has criticized the prison to NRK because they were locked in their cells for several hours after the suicide.
Prison manager Doris Bakken says that the police carried out a crime scene investigation and questioned the staff. After the funeral home had collected the deceased, the ward was cleaned.
– All inmates were offered accommodation in other departments. Some agreed to this, while others wanted to remain in their rooms. Staff visited them at regular intervals to provide supervision and talks.
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Every year, hundreds of people attempt to take their own lives in Norwegian prisons.
According to Bakken, a crisis team from Oslo University Hospital arrived at the prison at 4.15pm to assist with information and conversations. They were there until 9:15 p.m.
– Both the employees and the inmates are naturally strongly affected by such an incident, and as an organization we must give room for and understanding of different reaction patterns for both employees and inmates, says Bakken.
The inmates have received follow-up from the psychiatric outpatient clinic, with group debriefing and are now followed up individually. Employees are followed up by the occupational health service.
There have also been gatherings with all inmates and a memorial service for the deceased.
– At the same time, we are trying to get back into normal operations, and focus on the everyday work tasks. This is also important for moving on after the tragic incident, says Bakken.
Wants a department for the mentally ill
The prison manager says that the staff work every day to give the inmates the follow-up they need in Bredtveit prison.
– However, we have registered a significant increase in the proportion of inmates with major mental health difficulties in recent years. This, combined with an increasingly tight economic situation, has made the situation very demanding at Bredtveit, says Bakken.
She points out that this summer a completely new and well-equipped department for mentally ill male inmates will open at Ila.
– A corresponding department has not been built or planned for female inmates, despite an ever-increasing need. Our clear message to the granting authorities is that such a department should also be established here at Bredtveit as soon as possible, so that we get an equal offer for female and male inmates with major psychological challenges, says Bakken.
In an e-mail, State Secretary John-Erik Vika (Sp) writes that the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness is concerned that women should have equal sentencing conditions as men.
– In recent years there has been a large increase in female inmates with mental disorders, and it is a situation we take very seriously, writes Vika.
The Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness states that they are aware that the Directorate of Correctional Services is now looking at both short-term and long-term measures to improve prison conditions for women.
– Among the measures being considered is converting a prison with good building conditions into a women’s prison. The Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness is in dialogue with KDI to ensure that measures are taken quickly.
– At Bredtveit prison, a national resource team has also been established to help prevent and prevent long-term isolation for female inmates with serious mental disorders. The Ministry of Justice also worked to get a new building for women in place at Bredtveit, but after clarification with Oslo municipality, that was not the case, writes Vika.
VG has previously discussed the situation in Bredtveit prison, where the number of suicide attempts and episodes of self-harm is much higher than other prisons.
Also read: Death behind the walls
Published: 22.03.23 at 15:35
Updated: 22.03.23 at 16:32
