Once known as Anstalten ved Herstedvester now stands Herstedvester Fængsel. This institution serves as the Danish Prison and Probation Service’s psychiatric special institution. It houses those serving prison and custody sentences.
Herstedvester Fængsel has a long history of treating and housing sex offenders. Almost all inmates receive psychiatric psychological or sexological treatment during their time here. Most inmates are convicted of serious crimes. These include murder aggravated assault rape or other sexual offenses.
Herstedvester Prison first opened on April 1 1935. It was built to house those sentenced under new sanctions. These were indeterminate psychopathic detention and determinate psychopathic imprisonment. Initially the prison was managed by the State Prison in Vridsløselille. The design broke from traditional prison construction. Instead of one large building Herstedvester was built as several detached buildings. These buildings sat on a large area surrounded by a perimeter wall.
In 1935 the prison’s management was under the nearby State Prison in Vridsløselille. A position was created for a doctor with special psychiatric training. For many years psychiatrist G K Stürup held this position. He made the prison internationally known for its treatment of mentally ill inmates.
In 1940 management was shared. The prison inspector from Vridsløselille oversaw administration and finances. The chief physician at Herstedvester was responsible for inmate treatment.
In 1956 the Ministry of Justice suggested the chief physician become the prison’s top manager. The Ministry of Finance did not approve. They opposed psychiatrists as heads of institutions. In 1961 a deputy prison inspector was appointed. This was because the prison inspector in Vridsløselille could not manage daily administration at Herstedvester. In 1971 the Minister of Justice decided Herstedvester should be an independent institution.
In 1982 the prison got its current management structure. A prison inspector became the top leader. The leading chief physician still has a special role. This is especially true for Greenlandic inmates sentenced under Greenlandic criminal law. They serve their sentences in Denmark’s psychiatric institution. The chief physician is also important for the special treatment tasks required by the prison’s unique population.
In 2006 Herstedvester and the State Prison in Vridsløselille received an order from the Danish Working Environment Authority. They were told to improve the psychological work environment within a year. Otherwise the Authority would press charges against the Prison Service. In autumn 2012 the Authority ordered the prison management to improve conditions in department one. They could do this independently or with external consultants.
Herstedvester Fængsel is a closed prison. It also has a semi-open section. It has capacity for 166 inmates. 143 places are closed and 23 are semi-open. There are special units for inmates with mental health issues. Other units are for those from Greenland serving indeterminate sentences. There are also units for sex offenders.
Herstedvester Fængsel offers inmates a 37-hour work week. Work includes workshop tasks gardening or building maintenance. Inmates can work with assembly wood metal Greenlandic crafts or the depot and warehouse. Education is also offered. This includes general adult education in Danish English and mathematics. There is also Danish instruction for foreigners.
In their free time inmates can participate in activities. These include yard walks football library access grocery shopping and cooking. Church services and other events are held in the prison church.
Several notable inmates have stayed at Herstedvester. These include Peter Lundin and Peter Madsen. Herstedvester Fængsel continues to serve as a specialized institution. It provides psychiatric and psychological care for inmates.