Norwegian youth prisons are experiencing a sharp increase in violent incidents, property damage, and serious threats according to recent reports. The country's three specialized youth detention facilities, housing inmates aged 15 to 18, are operating at full capacity with all 14 available spots consistently occupied.
Assistant prison director Levi Tyriberget at Romerike Prison stated that imprisoning children should always be a last resort. "An overwhelming majority of those held here are serving time for either murder or attempted murder," he explained. "This is the most serious and severe criminal activity that comes to our facility."
Youth detention units differ significantly from adult prisons. Staff members don't wear uniforms but dress in civilian clothing. They regularly share breakfast and dinner with inmates who wish to participate. Each young detainee receives support from interdisciplinary teams including prison officers, social workers, educators, healthcare professionals, and child protection services.
The annual cost for each placement in youth detention units reaches approximately 9.4 million Norwegian kroner. This contrasts sharply with adult facilities, where women's placements cost just under 3 million kroner and men's placements around 1.5 million kroner.
Lise Sannerud, director of the Correctional Service, reported observing significant behavioral changes over the past two years. "We're seeing that the youth are more violent inside the facilities," she said. "They're more acting out, and they have less impulse control. There's much more violence, much more acting out, many more threats than before."
The situation creates challenges for both staff and inmates. Young prisoners miss educational opportunities and community activities essential for rehabilitation. Prison authorities have shared images of severely damaged cells where glass windows and porcelain sinks were smashed. In other cells, inmates created large holes in ceilings and walls. Prison officers have discovered forks modified into stabbing weapons.
Legal representative Cecilia Dinardi, who assists many detained youth, expressed concern about the prison environment. "We can't escape the fact that youth units are prisons for children," she stated. "The children are locked up. They're deprived of contact with society. They experience it as very stressful."
Dinardi emphasized that many staff members are dedicated professionals working to build relationships and trust. However, she believes the fundamental problem lies in the prison framework itself. "As a lawyer for many of these young people over many years, I have yet to experience that imprisoning children has brought anything positive," she noted. "Quite the opposite. I've actually experienced that youth clients upon release have worsened functioning and increasing violent behavior."
Prison authorities face additional challenges as many detained youth maintain gang affiliations, bringing external conflicts into the facilities. This complicates necessary socialization, community building, and activity programs. Prison staff must carefully separate rival gang members to prevent violent confrontations.
The use of isolation cells has drawn particular criticism. Earlier this year, the Parliamentary Ombudsman revealed critical deficiencies in security cell use at Bjørgvin Prison's youth unit in Bergen. One report described a youth sleeping naked on a concrete floor for 14 hours without mattress or blanket. Others reportedly spent similar periods in security cells without food or water.
Line Wilberg, department director in the Correctional Service, acknowledged the challenges but defended necessary security measures. "We see in practice that those who come to our youth units, despite their young age, have often come far in their criminal careers and usually have pronounced challenges related to both substance abuse and mental illness," she explained.
The situation highlights the tension between rehabilitation goals and security requirements in Norway's approach to youth justice. With current projections indicating need for 25-30 youth placements in the short term, authorities face growing pressure to address both safety concerns and the wellbeing of detained minors.