For example, the most frequently violated law seems to be the one that guarantees employees at least eight hours rest between shifts. This is especially true in Oulu, Vaasa, and Vantaa.
The chairman of the Prison Guard Union, Jari Tuomela, says that Finland’s 34 prisons need in total another hundred guards in order to function properly.
“We’re right on the edge of whether or not these institutions can ensure the safety of both guards and inmates,” Tuomela says.
Minister of Justice Leena Luhtanen says she is aware of the problem. She notes that since 1999, the prison population has grown by 40 percent but staff levels have stayed the same. She also expects prisons to become even fuller because punishments for violent and sexual crimes have been made more severe.