On December 8, 2021 representatives of the Norwegian Prison Service visited Kamińsk Correctional Facility.
The visit was connected with the implementation of the project called “Pilot Penitentiary Complexes” as part of The Norwegian Financial mechanism 2014-2021. Visitors from Norway were accompanied by Col. Jarosław Stawski – Olsztyn District Director of The Prison Service, together with the representatives of the Central Board of the Prison Service. The delegation was welcomed by Lt. Piotr Koroczynski, Director of the Correctional Facility in Kamińsk, together with his deputy Lt. Col. Tomasz Husak.
During the visit, issues related to the execution of the custodial sentence in Poland, among others, were discussed and guests were provided with basic information about the Correctional Facility in Kamińsk. The Head of the Bergen prison and his accompanying colleagues were interested in the assumptions and implementation of the government program "Work for prisoners", under which the production hall has been built, where the inmates are employed.
During the meeting, the guests were shown to the Correctional Facility in Kamińsk. They had the opportunity to see the production hall, housing unit, and the place designated for building the Pilot Penitentiary Complex under NFM.
The parties agreed that the meeting was effective, allowing for the mutual exchange of experience and good practices.
Central Board of Prison Service in partnership with the Norwegian Directorate for Correctional Services and the Academy of Justice is implementing the project, which Module number 1 called “Pilot penitentiary complexes” assumes building and launching 5 modern penitentiary complexes
Project objectives
The main objective of the project is the implementation of innovative actions aiming at Polish penitentiary system development, which can contribute to recidivism decline. The assumption of the penitentiary complexes is, that each of them comprises a housing pavilion, a production hall and a halfway house. In order to optimize the benefits of the support provided, staff involved in the tasks of the modern penitentiary complexes will receive adequate training. The construction of the production halls and the establishment of cooperation with entrepreneurs will allow the employment of inmates after their professional training. Building a modern space for the inmates is the opportunity to implement new and develop the already existing penitentiary solutions, such as "Programme of work for prisoners”. The total value is €51.1 million – the share of the project’s value is 90.4%
New perspectives
The Osztyński District is one of the five districts in which the predefined prison Service project "Pilot penitentiary complexes" is implemented. It is part of the operational programme "Justice" implemented under the 3rd edition of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism for 20214-2021.
„Kamińsk” Pilot penitentiary complex
Kaminsk Correctional is a modern facility with a high investment potential. That is why a housing pavilion for 196 inmates will be built here. Within this building, three wards of a semi-open penal facility for penitentiary recidivists will be established, and one therapeutic ward of the closed type penitentiary. The facility will be adapted to the needs of people with disabilities, who use wheel chairs.
Furthermore, the production hall is planned to be built. The hall will allow 100 inmates taking up their work during the execution of the sentence at the Kamińsk penitentiary. This will be an excellent supplement to the re-adaptation measures taken at the newly-built pavilions. What is more, training and courses, which aim at preparing the inmates to take a job inside and outside the facility, will complement the re-adaptation actions.
The last stage of creating the design documentation of the facility is currently in progress.
Text: Agnieszka Olifirko
Photos: Kamińsk penitentiary archive
