This happens, among other things, in the wake of a number of prisoner escapes. For example, last year the convicted murderer Peter Madsen briefly managed to escape from Herstedvester Prison.
The bill, which was sent out for consultation on Friday, allows prison officers to use handcuffs more often. This may be in situations where prisoners need to be transported or where they behave violently towards staff.
These are situations where it is not possible to use handcuffs today in general.
That is what is needed, says Minister of Justice Nick Hækkerup.
– Unfortunately, we have seen some unacceptable examples of prisoner escapes in recent years. Therefore, we will now give the authorities the opportunity to keep the inmates on a shorter leash with increased use of handcuffs and increased letter and visitor control, he says in a press release.
Convicted criminals must serve their sentences, and prison staff must have better working conditions so that they can go to work without having to risk being involved in a prison escape.
The proposal also provides an opportunity to increase letter and visit control, so that the police can limit visits and withhold letters to a greater extent.
The government will also make it possible to hold more court hearings digitally if it is assessed that there is a risk that a defendant or accused will try to flee during the transport to the court hearing or during the court hearing itself.
The chairman of the Prison Association, Bo Yde Sørensen, views the proposal positively.
– In recent years, we have seen escapes of various kinds, and increased use of handcuffs will naturally reduce the desire to escape to some extent, writes Bo yde Sørensen in an email to Ritzau.
He adds that it will be able to increase security for both the Danish Prison and Probation Service’s staff and non-violent prisoners.
A report from the Council of Europe in 2018 shows that Denmark is high on the list of countries in Europe where most flee per 10,000 prisoners – both from closed and open prisons. Denmark was number seven on the list.
In recent years, several notable prisoner escapes have taken place on Danish soil.
In August 2018, a 46-year-old Syrian who was suspected in an extensive terrorist case managed to escape from Western Prison. He exchanged identities with a 27-year-old who was visiting the jail.
In 2019, a gang leader fled a psychiatric ward in Slagelse, where he was imprisoned. He was visited by his cousin, who had brought two firearms in a cake box.
The new rules for the use of handcuffs will apply from January next year.
Source: The Nordic Page