Our new Visitors Centre has already been in use for several months, and was officially opened by Norway’s Minister of Justice Knut Storberget on 5. September 2011. It is Prison Director Stig Storvik’s clear intention that it should not only be Norway’s, but perhaps the world's best prison visiting centre for children.
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Text and photos: Knut-Erik Rønningen, published 09.09.11.
- To achieve this ambition, expert opinion had to be collected from various quarters, comments Stig Storvik, prison director. Together with the Association of Prisoners' Relatives (FFP) and Norway’s Ombudsman for children, an expert group of five girls each aged 10 years was created in 2008. Each of the girls had a father in prison. They quickly came to the conclusion that they wanted a place with bright colors, lots of light and no wire meshing in front of the windows. In addition, a patio with playground was also high on their wish list. - When we look at the results today, we believe that the majority of wishes have been fulfilled, comments Stig Storvik.
Quite nice
Child Ombudsman, Reidar Hjermann was also present at the opening. - This shows in practice how it is possible to involve children in a wide range of issues that concern them. Here, children have come with very specific advice on the basis of their experiencse, comments Hjermann.
The girls from the expert group also seemed pleased and thought it was a pretty good result. - See here, this room is similar to my drawing, said one of the girls as she showed me the drawing she had made three years previously.
Good family relations are important
Norway’s minister of Justice and Police, Knut Storberget emphasized in his speech that it was especially pleasing to contribute something that improved conditions considerably for both inmates and their families. Generally, these investments aim to provide more prison places. - Maintaining good family relations is also important for the return of prisoners to society, he stressed.
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On the left, the new entrance from the street.
Here, visitors can hang coats and sit down while they wait to be checked in..
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New reception, where visitors come after being checked in.
This is one of the four new visitors’ rooms.
And here is the new family visitors’ room.
And finally a little reminder of what the visitors’ center looked like before renovation …
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FACTS FROM STATSBYGG:
Statsbygg is the Norwegian government's key advisor in construction and property affairs, building commissioner, property manager and property developer.
Statsbygg rebuilt and rehabilitated the Visitor’s Centre at Department B, also known as Bayern, at Oslo Prison. The centre was officially opened by Norway’s Minister of Justice and Police, Knut Storberget on 05.09.2011.
The previous visitors’ centre consisted of one large visiting hall with five tables placed around the hall. Over the years, it proved to be both inappropriate and relatively inhumane. After active use over some decades the premises fell into a state of disrepair.
Both employees and several organizations were consulted to present their specific wishes for improvements. Comments came partly from the Bar (lawyers) Association, the Association for Prisoners' Families and the Ombudsman for Children, as well as "experts" consisting of children with parents in prison.
All care has been exercised to try to honor, as best as possible, the recommendations and wishes of each consulted part. The result was an extensive renovation and rehabilitation of 263 square meters:
- establishment of new entrance directly from the street outside the prison - Åkebergveien
- changes to original building plan solution
- new toilets
- upgrading of plumbing, sanitary and electrical installations
- lowering the ceilings
- replacing the windows
- procurement of new inventories
The room solution was completely changed. One large visiting hall became instead:
- 4 visitors’ rooms
- 1 window-room
- 5 small lawyer offices
- 1 family visitor’s room
- 1 play-room
Construction commenced just before Christmas 2010, and the official opening was on Monday 5 September. At the ceremony, guest attendees included Norway’s Minister of Justice and Police, Knut Storberget, including Regional Director Rune Trahaug from Norway’s Correctional Services Eastern Region, Oslo Prison Director Stig Storvik and Borghild Fløtre in Statbygg (Norway’s Department of Public Construction).
The budget for the project was NOK 12 million. The architects were from ØKAW AS Architects.
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