Most of the buildings date from the 19th century. They are very old and poorly equipped with sanitary facilities. Ventilation and exercise grounds are insufficient.

As part of the penitentiary system reform, the Ministry of Justice wants to sell the oldest penitentiary establishments to build new ones, outside of the cities.

The State Prison Service employs 37,000 people trained in the schools of Dnipropetrovsk and Khmelnitski. Since the 2016 reform, they are now under the control of the Ministry of Justice.

Medical personnel in penitentiary institutions depend on the Ministry of Justice. The General Prosecutor, Mr Lutsenko, noted in March 2017 the lack of staff in the medical services department of six regional departments of the Ministry of Justice. Only one third of the positions are occupied.

In colonies 25 and 100, order enforcement in the dormitories is delegated to prisoners. They are responsible for searching the dormitories and acting as informants to the prison staff. For example, they listen to the inmates’ telephone conversations.