Dramatic drop in use of isolation punishment
Denmark has seen a notable decline in the use of isolation cells as punishment for inmates, reports DR. According to Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard’s data, long-term isolation (15-28 days) has particularly decreased since new rules were introduced. Incidences of solitary confinement dropped from 380 to 60 between two periods from October 2022 to May 2023. The isolation regime, which separates inmates for most hours of the day, is enforced for serious offenses such as violence or drug possession. The reform’s aim to reduce solitary confinement usage seems effective, as shorter confinements also fell significantly. Solitary confinements for 1-3 days went from 687 to 450 cases, for 4-7 days from 922 to 664, and for 8-14 days from 449 to 288. Under the new system effective from September 2023, inmates face solitary confinement on a third offense, after a warning and a fine.