List of prisons in Switzerland

Prisons in Switzerland are operated by the Swiss cantons, which are responsible for law enforcement in Switzerland. As of 2008, Switzerland has 124 prisons according to the Catalogue of Correctional Institutions (Katalog der Einrichtungen des Freiheitsentzuges) compiled by the Federal Statistical Office; other statistics, which account for various institutions being administratively associated with each other, report 117 prisons.[1] Swiss prisons have a capacity of up to 6,736 detainees total (amounting to 89 detention places per 100,000 inhabitants),[2] including up to 477 women and 105 minors. The detainees are housed in 4,531 single cells, 1,044 cells for multiple persons, 172 security cells, 200 disciplinary cells and 50 infirmary cells.[1]

In 2008, Swiss prisons housed 5,780 detainees (77 detainees per 100,000 inhabitants), of which 5.8% were female, 1.2% minors and 69.7% non-Swiss nationals.[2] Half of all detainees were serving prison sentences, a quarter were in pre-trial detention, six percent were detained for expulsion and extradition and three percent were reported as being in "protective custody and custody for other reasons".[2] Additionally, in 2006, 5,333 persons served a prison sentence in the form of community work orders, and 114 served their sentence in the form of electronic monitoring house arrest.[3]

in 2017, Prisoners that were locked up added up to about 6,900, while its maximum capacity is at about 7,500. The prison rate for Switzerland as of 2017 is up to 81 per 100,000. These numbers seemed to have slightly increased since 2008.[4]

According to a 2006 U.S. government report, Swiss prison conditions generally meet international standards, but prison overcrowding is a problem, particularly in the cantons of Geneva, Zürich and Bern. The report cites a 2005 Swiss government report stating that one-third of the country's detention centers were at or above their designated capacity, and nine were overcrowded by 20 percent or more.[5] Overcrowding to 200% of capacity caused a mutiny at Geneva's Champ-Dollon prison in 2006.[6]

Since the 1950s, correctional policy, prison construction, and operation is coordinated in organizations set up through regional agreements between several cantons (Strafvollzugskonkordate). As of 2009, these are:[7]

* Northwest and Central Switzerland Sentence Execution Agreement (Strafvollzugskonkordat der Nordwest- und Innerschweiz) consisting of Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Luzern, Zug, Bern, Solothurn, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft and Aargau
* Eastern Switzerland Sentence Execution Agreement (Strafvollzugskonkordat der Ostschweiz) consisting of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Glarus, Graubünden, Schaffhausen, St. Gallen, Thurgau and Zürich
* Latin Switzerland Sentence Execution Agreement (Strafvollzugskonkordat der lateinischen Schweiz) consisting of Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Vaud, Valais and Ticino

Training of prison staff is the responsibility of the joint Swiss Prison Staff Training Centre (French: Centre suisse de formation pour le personnel pénitentiaire, German: Schweizerisches Ausbildungszentrum für das Strafvollzugspersonal, Italian: Centro svizzero di formazione per il personale dei penitenziari) in Fribourg.[8]

## List[edit]

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (February 2011)

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Image  | Name  | Canton  | Location  | Function  | Opened  | Capacity  | Notes  | External links

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| Bezirksgefängnis Aarau-Amtshaus  | AG | Aarau | Multipurpose prison  | 1936  | 42  |  |
| Bezirksgefängnis Aarau-Telli  | AG | Aarau | Pre-trial custody  | 1985  | 14  |  |
| Bezirksgefängnis Baden  | AG | Baden | Pre-trial custody, short imprisonment  | 1984  | 25  |  |
| Bezirksgefängnis Bremgarten  | AG | Bremgarten | Short imprisonment  | 18th century  | 8  |  |
| Bezirksgefängnis Kulm | AG | Unterkulm | Pre-trial custody, imprisonment  | 1991  | 23  |  |
| Bezirksgefängnis Zofingen  | AG | Zofingen | Pre-trial custody, imprisonment  | 1997  | 30  |  |
| Bezirksgefängnis Zurzach  | AG | Zurzach | Pre-trial custody, imprisonment  | 1967  | 13  |  |
| Justizvollzugsanstalt Lenzburg  | AG | Lenzburg | Multipurpose prison  | 1864  | 190  |  | Website
Media archive
| Stiftung Satis  | AG | Seon | Indefinite incarceration, involuntary commitment, semi-liberty  | 1956  | 9  |  | Website
| Kantonales Gefängnis Appenzell Ausserrhoden  | AR | Niederteufen | Pre-trial detention, extradition or expulsion detention  | 2007  | 12  |  | Website
| Strafanstalt Gmünden  | AR | Niederteufen | Multipurpose prison  | 1884  | 53  |  | Website
| Strafanstalt Wauwilermoos  | LU | Egolzwil | penitentiary and deportation[9] | Established in 1940 as Wauwilermoos internment camp[10] | 62 (2014)[11] |  | Website
| Untersuchungsgefängnis Trogen  | AR | Trogen | Police and pre-trial detention  | 1840  | 2  |  |
| Witzwil | BE | Gampelen | Men's detention  | 1995  | 200  | With a total agricultural land area of 612 hectares, the penitentiary is the largest farm in Switzerland  | Website
| Flughafengefängnis Abt. Ausschaffungshaft  | ZH | Zürich Airport | Expulsion detention  | 1995  | 106  | With a total of 214 places (both divisions), the airport prison is the canton's largest.  | Website
Statistics
| Flughafengefängnis Abt. U-Haft und Strafvollzug  | ZH | Zürich Airport | Pre-trial detention, imprisonment  | 1995  | 108  |  | Website
Statistics
| Gefängnis Affoltern am Albis  | ZH | Affoltern am Albis | Imprisonment  | 1973  | 65  | Specializes in reintegration, houses only prisoners with a short remaining sentence.  | Website
Statistics
| Gefängnis Dielsdorf  | ZH | Spitalstrasse 5, Dielsdorf | Pre-trial detention, imprisonment  | 1960  | 64  | Specializes in the detention of women, particularly mothers.  | Website
Statistics
| Gefängnis Horgen  | ZH | Burghaldenstrasse 1, Horgen | Pre-trial detention, imprisonment  | 1937  | 52  | Has a specialized youth detention unit.  | Website
Statistics
| Gefängnis Meilen  | ZH | Untere Bruech 141, Meilen | Pre-trial detention, imprisonment  | 1954  | 35  | Smallest prison in the canton.  | Website
Statistics
| Gefängnis Pfäffikon  | ZH | Hörnlistrasse 55, Pfäffikon | Pre-trial detention, imprisonment  | 1979  | 80  | Has a high security unit for six detainees.  | Website
Statistics
| Gefängnis Winterthur  | ZH | Hermann Götz-Strasse 22, Winterthur | Pre-trial detention, imprisonment  | 1965  | 48  | Mainly used for pre-trial detention.  | Website
Statistics
| Gefängnis Zürich | ZH | Rotwandstrasse 21, Zürich | Pre-trial detention, imprisonment  | 1916  | 170  | Used almost only for pre-trial detention.  | Website
Statistics
| Halbgefangenschaft Winterthur  | ZH | Palmstrasse 2, Winterthur | Imprisonment, semi-detention  | 1993  | 38  | Specializes in semi-detention.  | Website
Statistics
| Haus Lägern  | ZH | Lindenweg 30, Regensdorf | Semi-detention  | 1998  | 30  | Semi-detention division of the Strafanstalt Pöschwies.  | Website
Statistics
| Kolonie Ringwil  | ZH | Koloniestrasse 2, Hinwil | Imprisonment, semi-detention  | 1881  | 60  | Part of the Strafanstalt Pöschwies.  | Website
Statistics
| Massnahmenzentrum Uitikon  | ZH | Zürcherstrasse 100, Uitikon-Waldegg | Imprisonment, educative measures  | 1874  | 48  | Centre for youth offenders.  | Website
Statistics
| Polizeigefängnis Zürich  | ZH | Kasernenstrasse 29, Zürich | Police and pre-trial detention  | 1995  | 141  | Provisional police detention centre.  | Statistics
| Strafanstalt Pöschwies | ZH | Roosstrasse 49, Regensdorf | Imprisonment, indefinite incarceration  | 1995  | 436  | Largest prison in Switzerland.  | Website
Statistics
| Vollzugszentrum Urdorf  | ZH | In den Luberzen 18, Urdorf | Imprisonment  | 1987  | 49  | Specializes in brief detentions ordered in lieu of fines. Closes in 2010.  | Website
Statistics
| zsge-Neugut  | ZH | Neugutstrasse 8, Urdorf | Semi-detention  | 1964  | 13  | Semi-detention and resocialization centre operated by a private foundation.  | Website
Statistics

## References[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prisons in Switzerland.

* Except where otherwise noted, the notes pertaining to each prison are referenced to its website.
* Except where otherwise noted, all other data in the list are from: Federal Statistical Office of Switzerland (16 September 2008). "Katalog der Einrichtungen des Freiheitsentzuges (Catalogue of Correctional Institutions)" (in German and French). Retrieved 2009-09-28. Specific links are provided in the list.

### Footnotes[edit]

1. ^ a b "Einrichtungen des Freiheitsentzugs und offizielle Platzzahl, 2008" (in German). Federal Statistical Office of Switzerland. 3 September 2008. Archived from the original on 15 November 2010. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
2. ^ a b c "Prisons, detention - Data, Indicators: Overview: Key figures". Federal Statistical Office of Switzerland. 2008. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
3. ^ "Prisons, detention - Data, Indicators: Serving prison terms: Overview". Federal Statistical Office of Switzerland. 2006. Archived from the original on 2009-11-14. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
4. ^ "Switzerland". Prison Studies. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
5. ^ United States Department of State (2006). "2006 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Switzerland". Retrieved 2009-10-03.
6. ^ "Experts condemn prison conditions". Swissinfo. April 19, 2007. Retrieved 2009-10-03.
7. ^ "Die drei Strafvollzugskonkordate der Schweiz" (in German). Schweizerisches Ausbildungszentrum für das Strafvollzugspersonal. Archived from the original on 2009-04-04. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
8. ^ "Contacts Archived 2007-05-06 at the Wayback Machine." Swiss Prison Staff Training Centre. Retrieved on July 22, 2010. French Archived 2009-04-02 at the Wayback Machine, German Archived 2009-09-02 at the Wayback Machine, Italian Archived 2007-08-11 at the Wayback Machine
9. ^ "Ausschaffungsgefängnis" (in German). Strafanstalt Wauwilermoos. Archived from the original on 2015-03-25. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
10. ^ "Wauwilermoos: Kritik von Gefängnisinsassen" (in German). Schweiz aktuell. 2009-03-03. Archived from the original on 2016-01-29. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
11. ^ "Fakten & Zahlen" (in German). Strafanstalt Wauwilermoos. Retrieved 2015-10-26.

## External links[edit]

* Switzerland portal

* Federal Statistical Office of Switzerland. "Crime, criminal justice, prisons".
* Federal Statistical Office of Switzerland (2007). "Du boulet au bracelet: La peine privative de liberté et son avenir en Suisse. CD-Rom accompagnant l'exposition à l'Office fédéral de la statistique à Neuchâtel" (in German and French).
* "Swiss Prison Staff Training Centre website". Archived from the original on 2009-09-02.

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