There’s a long line to get into prison in Iceland – up to 5 years waiting time

560 people are waiting to go to prison in Iceland after being convicted of crimes. If more than 5 years pass after sentencing without people going to prison, the sentence becomes invalid and they don’t need to serve time. According to RÚV, so far this year, 17 sentences have become invalid, 34 last year.

Páll Winkel, Director of prisons in Iceland, tells RÚV that the overcrowding problem isn’t new. He says that for the last 10 years the waiting list has become increasingly long. And that more sentences will become invalid unless the Parliament gives permission to hire more prison guards.

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