Correctional Services - StatRes (discontinued), 2009

With 3150 man-years in 2009, the prisons have by far the largest share (76 per cent) of all man-years in the Norwegian Correctional Services. However, from 2007 to 2009, the man-years relating to the probation central offices had the highest relative growth, of 25 per cent. Nevertheless, the nearly 330 man-years in the Norwegian Correctional Services in the probation central offices in 2009 came to just 8 per cent of the total man-years in the Norwegian Correctional Services. Sixteen per cent of all the man-years related to other units, including 420 trainee man-years in the Correction Service of Norway Staff Academy (KRUS).

All positions have increased in the last 5-year period

Fifty-four per cent of the man-years in 2009 were carried out by security personnel, while 10 per cent was by trainees. In 2005, the security personnel share was somewhat higher (57 per cent), while the trainees made up a considerably lower share (6 per cent) than currently. The share of the Norwegian Correctional Services’ man-years that are in ”other positions”, which includes all man-years relating to the probation central offices, has remained relatively stable in the last 5-year period, at 36 per cent.

The number of man-years in the trainee group of positions was 10 per cent lower than the year before, but is nevertheless almost 90 per cent higher than in 2005. Compared to the year before, security personnel man-years increased by 5 per cent, and the figure is 9 per cent higher than in 2005. In the last 5-year period, the number of man-years in the position category ”other positions” has had a relatively large increase, of 15.4 per cent.

Increase in expenses in the Norwegian Correctional Services

The statistics show that the costs in the Norwegian Correctional Services were in excess of NOK 3.5 billion in 2009. This is almost NOK 700 million, or 24 per cent, more than the year before. Statsbygg assumed ownership of large parts of the building stock owned by the Norwegian Correctional Services in January 2009. This led to an increase in expenses for renting premises of more than NOK 400 million, which is included in the statistics on the purchase of goods and services. Corrected for this change, the statistics show that the Norwegian Correctional Services’ cost increase from 2008 to 2009 was on a par with the increase in the previous year, i.e. about 8 per cent. Viewed in this light, the increase is largely related to the higher wage costs.

Expenses for the purchase of goods and services increased in total by almost NOK 500 million in 2009. In addition, wage costs increased by 9 per cent, from NOK 2.1 to 2.3 billion. After these changes, the wage costs’ share of own production was reduced from 74 per cent in 2008 to 65 per cent in 2009 (for the shares of production costs in other parts of the state-run activities, see Central government - StatRes ).

Similar level of activity in the prisons as the year before

According to figures from the Prison and Probation Central Administration, there were a total of 1 264 000 prison stays in 2009. This is almost as many as the two preceding years, and 9 per cent more than in 2005. Unconditional prison sentences made up almost 72 per cent, and custodial sentences 23 per cent of all prison stays in 2009. In 2009, prisons had 11 800 new imprisonments; almost 5 per cent fewer than the previous year. An increase in the number of prison stays and new imprisonments to custody was partly responsible for the total activity in prisons in 2009 appearing to be at almost the same level as in 2008.

Electronic monitoring resulted in increased activity for the probation central administrations

On an average day in 2009, the probation central administrations had 2 522 tasks in progress; almost 4 per cent more than the previous year - and 18 per cent more than in 2005. The increase in the last year is related to the extended scope in the use of electronic monitoring. In 2009, more than 800 punitive sentences with electronic monitoring were initiated.

Higher completion rate, but longer implementation period

In 2009, more than 5 200 probation service tasks were regarded as discontinued, i.e. completed after the end of the period or discontinued before the end of the period due to a breach in the conditions. The completion rates for community sentences (87 per cent), programmes against alcohol/drug-influenced driving (89) and releases on probations (92 per cent) were either just as high or higher than all previous years in the period 2005-2008.

In 2009, 74 per cent of all probation service? tasks commenced within 60 days of issue. This is a considerably lower share than the year before (more than 83 per cent), and it is the extent of commenced tasks within 30 days that has fallen. Overall, the implementation time in the new electronic monitoring arrangement makes the largest contribution to the increase in the total implementation time in 2009. Compared with the year before, it nevertheless seems that the probation central administrations spend longer on implementing the serving of community sentences and programmes against alcohol/drug-influenced driving.