Enner Mark Prison

Background

In 1998, a working group under the Danish Prison and Probation Service (Danish: Kriminalforsorgen) carried out a joint country-wide investigation with the now-defunct Danish Defence Construction Service (danish: Forsvarets Bygningstjeneste). This included a detailed analysis and evaluation of the Prison and Probation Service's buildings, with comments on the extent of the need for renovation, rebuilding, and new construction. A large number of the buildings were declared run-down and unsuitable by modern standards. The audit concluded that in order to provide correctional facilities meeting modern Danish requirements for prisoner rehabilitation and employment opportunities during incarceration, all closed prisons (with the exception of the State Prison in Ringe) should be replaced completely within 25 years.{{Cite report | trans-title = Communication regarding the Danish Prison and Probation Service's maintenance of buildings | access-date = 17 June 2020}}

The first steps towards fulfilling the recommendation were taken later that year in the 1998 state budget and subsequently in the Prison and Probation Service's operational agreement for the period 1999 to 2003. It was decided that Horsens State Prison would be the first to be replaced.

In 1999, a working group under the Prison and Probation Service was established to give a specification for the new prison's construction consistent with the modern function and security requirements established by the 1998 audit. This involved trips to Canada, Sweden, Norway, Holland and Poland to research recent prison modernisation. This group then become the project managers for the actual realisation of the prison, which was internally named State Prison of East Jutland.

In June 2001, the working group delivered their report with specifications for the State Prison of East Jutland. The report gave best-practice recommendations for the prison and commented on how the relevant legal requirements would be met. This report formed the basis of the working group's further activity which first consisted of the establishment of several subsidiary working groups with representatives from the old Horsens State Prison and trade groups. This led to further recommendations regarding for example security, employment facilities for inmates, prison employee facilities, and cell design.

Construction

Later in June 2001, the working group delivered a finished construction plan and tendered for the building of the prison to firms in the European Union. Tendering finished in December 2001 and the contract was won by the Aarhus-based architects Friis & Moltke.{{cite web | trans-title = State Prison of East Jutland | access-date = 2020-06-18 | archive-date = 2020-06-19 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200619212100/https://friis-moltke.dk/arkitektur/off-byggerier/statsfaengslet-%C3%B8stjylland-horsens/ | url-status = dead | trans-title = First ground broken for new prison in Horsens

In Autumn 2003, an 48-inmate capacity increase was authorised, to give a total capacity of 228 inmates distributed amongst 4 standard sections and one especially secure section. Construction of the prison buildings began in August 2004 and was completed by Summer 2006. The prison was officially opened on 2 October 2006 and received its first inmates shortly after on 16 October 2006. Construction costs totaled 403 million DKK.{{Cite news | trans-title = Cell for 2.2 million DKK

Including the outer security zone, the prison occupies a total area of 65 hectares. In 2008, it was awarded the Horsens Municipality architecture prize.

Operation

Enner Mark Prison has five separate sections. Three are identical, with capacity for 48 inmates each. The fourth is for remanded prisoners and those serving short sentences. The fifth section is for solitary confinement and particularly problematic prisoners (often those with connections to Danish motorcycle gangs) and also houses medical facilities. Other facilities include social areas with attached bathrooms and toilets, a cultural centre with attached church, a mosque, a sports hall, a supermarket, a gym, and special visiting areas.{{Cite report | trans-title = Inspection of the State Prison of East Jutland on the 9th and 10th of October 2007 | access-date = 18 June 2020}}

The prison is characterised by very modern security. Key use is almost zero with the vast majority of doors using biometric fingerprint locks. All outside areas are under video surveillance and motion sensors/infrared cameras are installed throughout the complex. The site has over 300 CCTV cameras.

Approximately 300 staff are employed by the prison. The first governor was Jørgen Bang. Following Bang's sudden death in June 2014, Niels Kløve Larsen became the governor in January 2015. Larsen stood down in September 2016, having been on long-term sick leave since May 2016.{{Cite news | trans-title = Months of uncertainty over: Prison to get new chief

Day-to-day experience and employment

The prison has a range of employment opportunities for inmates. A full-time 37-hour work week is standard with options including fabric, metal, furniture, and envelope workshops, gardening/landscaping, cleaning, and further manufacturing assembly tasks. Inmates are required to pursue employment.

In addition to normal higher education, adult education schemes to improve literacy and numeracy are offered. Treatment programs for alcohol and substance abuse are also available.

Violence and escapes

• On 12 October 2009, a 36-year-old inmate attempted to strangle a guard. The inmate was in an observation cell awaiting an escort to the toilet - he produced a noose and was stopped with the assistance of further guards. The man was later charged with attempted murder.{{Cite news | trans-title = Attempted to strangle prison guard
• On 18 September 2011, in connection with unrest in the prison's C1 section, Abdoulghani Tokhi (imprisoned on terrorism charges) stabbed a fellow inmate in the arm with a potato peeler blade.{{Cite news | trans-title = Knife-wielding terrorist gets nothing from appeal | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130701050811/http://hsfo.dk/alarm112/hf138072/knivstikkende-terrorist-faar-intet-ud-af-anke | url-status = dead | archive-date = July 1, 2013
• On 20 February 2012, a 27-year-old inmate was stabbed in the skull by a fellow 29-year-old inmate.{{Cite news | trans-title = Attempted murder of inmate at State Prison of East Jutland
• On 13 July 2012, during an 8-year sentence for attempted murder, the gang leader Mohammed Figuigui (also known as "The Painter") made a successful escape attempt. He impersonated another inmate taking an authorised, unsupervised excursion.{{Cite news | trans-title = Gang leader bluffs his way out of prison
• In 2017, prison guards reported significant problems with violence and threats towards staff in the section for gang-related inmates.

Notable inmates

Current inmates

Former inmates

References