According to DR, the number of inmates in Danish prisons has reached a record high, exceeding the number of available spaces, which is putting historic pressure on the prisons' capacity, according to the Danish Prison Staff Union Fængselsforbundet.
A record number of cases puts prisons in a space crisis.
The Danish Prison Staff Union stated in a press release that the number of inmates in the country's prisons has now reached 4,650, while the number of available places does not exceed 4,300.
The ratio is 140% in Hillerood... and the staff are under pressure.
Hillerød Arrest prison is also facing very high levels of overcrowding, with occupancy rates reaching 140% in recent months.
According to the prison, this level of occupancy places significant demands on staff, who are dealing with numbers of inmates that exceed the normal capacity of the institution.
The occupancy rate in Danish prisons averaged 105.4%, the highest ever recorded, compared to 102.7% last year.
Overcrowding occurs when the number of inmates exceeds the number of available spaces within prisons, which puts increasing pressure on the institutions' ability to accommodate them.
High pressure turns cells into double rooms
The space crisis is pushing prisons to take measures to accommodate the increasing numbers of inmates, with bunk beds being placed inside some cells so that two people can stay in them instead of one, and some hobby rooms, visiting rooms and offices being used to accommodate inmates when needed.
Vejle prison records highest occupancy rate
Vejle Arrest prison recorded the highest levels of overcrowding in the country this year, with an average occupancy rate of 135%.
Jan Bruun, a staff representative at Vely prison, said that the rising number of inmates is putting a lot of pressure on the institution, adding that the cells themselves are increasingly deteriorating.
Brown explained, in statements relayed by the prison staff union, that staff spend a lot of time looking for places for inmates, redistributing them, and making new transfers when shared accommodation between two inmates in a double cell does not work.
He added that staff also have to transfer some inmates back when the restrictions on messages and visits are lifted.
Randers prison is experiencing rising tensions among inmates.
The effects of overcrowding were also evident at Randers Arrest, where the average occupancy rate reached 115% this year.
A staff representative at Randers prison said that the increased number of inmates has led to a rise in the level of conflict and tension among them.
The numbers may rise further in the coming period.
The current figures do not indicate that the problem of overcrowding is over, as the data in the report predicts continued pressure on Danish prisons in the coming period. This is related, among other factors, to the tightening of penalties for violent crimes and rape within the reform of the penal system in Denmark.
Half of the reform-related restrictions came into effect in February of this year, while additional restrictions are scheduled to come into effect next January.
Stricter penalties could mean longer sentences
These developments come at a time when Denmark is implementing reforms to its penal system, including tougher penalties for a number of crimes, including violent crimes and rape.
Legislative amendments came into effect on February 15, 2026, and included tougher penalties for a number of violent crimes, as well as tougher penalties for some rape crimes.
The reforms also include other parts scheduled to come into effect on January 1, 2027.
The Danish Public Prosecution Service (Rigsadvokaten) explained that the stricter measures also include rape crimes committed using violence or threats of violence, in addition to gang rape and some other cases.
The courts determine the final sentence in each case separately, taking into account the circumstances of the crime and the specific circumstances of each case.
Prisons brace for more pressure
Figures reported by DR from the Prison Staff Union show a significant disparity between institutions, with average occupancy reaching 135% in Veli and 140% in Hillerood in recent months, while Randers recorded an average of 115% this year.
The prison staff union warns of the pressures this situation places on institutions and their employees, at a time when Denmark continues to implement reforms to the penal system that include further tightening measures in the coming period.
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