Hegningarhúsið
Encyclopedia
Hegningarhúsið is the oldest prison
in Iceland
, founded in 1874. Its ancient architecture and basic construction make the jail unsuitable for present penal use, as the only place for prisoners to go outside their cells is a small backyard.
Hegningarhúsið can house a total of 16 inmates. It is usually used as an entry point into the Icelandic penal system. Inmates get a medical check and an interview before they are sent elsewhere to serve out their sentences. Prisoners with very short sentences sometimes serve them in Hegningarhúsið.
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, founded in 1874. Its ancient architecture and basic construction make the jail unsuitable for present penal use, as the only place for prisoners to go outside their cells is a small backyard.
Hegningarhúsið can house a total of 16 inmates. It is usually used as an entry point into the Icelandic penal system. Inmates get a medical check and an interview before they are sent elsewhere to serve out their sentences. Prisoners with very short sentences sometimes serve them in Hegningarhúsið.