In the new part of the prison, which is built of modules, the prisoners will share a nine-square-meter cell. The expansion means that the number of jobs at the prison, which is located at Ersboda in Umeå, will increase from about 60 to 110. Out of 26 new cells, 10 have bunk beds.
However, it has not yet been possible to recruit all the necessary staff to the prison.
– It has been difficult to recruit staff in Umeå, but we feel that it is getting easier now, says Matthias Karlsson.
Pressured work situation
At the same time as the Prison and Probation Service is expanding in many places in the country due to overcrowding, staff have also sounded the alarm about the pressured work situation. During the expansion, the staff have also been given new premises of their own, something that the management hopes will improve working conditions.
"New premises are part of the work to improve the work environment. This is a better environment for the prisoners, but also for the staff," says Matthias Karlsson.