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Hanover (dpa / lni) - The corona crisis does not leave life in prison without a trace: Lower Saxony's Justice Minister Barbara Havliza has to do without her traditional Christmas visit to a correctional facility.
The Ministry of Justice announced on Tuesday.
It is a small tradition: On December 24th, the minister visited a prison to thank the employees for their commitment - in 2020 it would have been the prison for women in Vechta.
However, any contact that is not absolutely necessary should be avoided in the pandemic.
Church services, even if only in small groups, should be held for the prisoners in the country.
According to the information, around 4800 people are currently imprisoned in the 13 penal institutions, including the youth institution and its departments.
The prisons in particular are particularly careful not to leave the virus behind their walls.
The penitentiary system in Lower Saxony has achieved something extraordinary, said Havliza.
“We managed to keep the virus largely out of prisons.
We owe this in particular to the foresight and discipline of everyone involved.
The prisoners accepted the necessary restrictions well. "
She regretted not being able to express her thanks in person this year, stressed the minister.
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So that the prisoners who have to spend Christmas behind bars have a nice Christmas, services are planned on December 24th, as well as on Christmas Day and Christmas Day.
However, this is only possible in small groups and in compliance with the distance and hygiene regulations.
According to the ministry, potato salad and sausages are on the prison menu on Christmas Eve, and sometimes people cook or bake together.
There should be classic dishes such as duck on the Christmas holidays.
In some institutions, Christmas bags should be given out with, for example, fruit, coffee, tea, sweets or tobacco.
In the Uelzen JVA, imprisoned fathers could have recorded a CD with fairy tales or stories read by them and sent it to the family as a Christmas present, the ministry said.
In Bremervörde, the Förderverein offers fathers the opportunity to send their children a Christmas present worth 10 to 15 euros.
Mothers imprisoned in Vechta JVA could organize a Christmas present for their children outside of custody.