Luxury or dungeon? – Understanding Prison: This Is How Criminals Live

At 7 o’clock sharp, the day in Graz-Karlau prison begins with the ubiquitous jingle of keys. After the unlock and status check, it is time for the inmates to move to the prison facilities. “We have a duty to work. 80 to 85 percent of the prisoners are employed in our operations,” explains Lieutenant Colonel Gerhard Derler, the deputy chief of the Karlau, as the largest Styrian prison, which houses the serious criminals, is popularly known.

oppressive feeling
So while the inmates are building furniture, repairing cars, cooking or tending plants in the nursery, Derler lets the “Krone” take a look inside their cells. He leads us through gloomy hallways—the oldest tracts date back to the 16th century—unlocking what feels like twenty locks on heavy doors until we’re in a single ten-square-foot cell.

As soon as you enter, you get an oppressive feeling given the narrow-mindedness. A bed, a table with an armchair, a cupboard, a fridge, a TV, a sink and a small hob. Family photos hang on the walls. After being locked up at 3 p.m., that’s the prisoner’s entire world. Eating also happens in the cell.

Single cells are rare
Individual cells are rare, up to six ‘housemates’ congregate in shared cells. The equipment is the same everywhere – except in “high security cells”. Rioters and dangerous prisoners are temporarily housed there. The facility is limited to a mattress and a stainless steel toilet.

Contrary to popular belief, the Karlau currently has no overcrowding issues, but it’s being “used well, close to 100 percent,” Derler says. In general, the number of inmates in Styrian prisons has been declining slightly for years.

Anyone who follows the rules behind bars can certainly enjoy many a privilege. “Of course, some inmates have computers without internet. But they have to buy it themselves,” says Derler. Cell phones are strictly taboo for inmates, they can only call previously specified persons on prison phones – who are tapped.

“Prisoners must find their way back into society”
Variety and structure in everyday life not only entail work, but also strength training, football matches or manual dexterity. The idea of ​​social rehabilitation is especially important to Gerhard Derler: “The detainees have to find their way back into society. Just locking them up and isolating everything is pointless.”

The privileges for “good” inmates also include the informal “cuddle cell” — or long-term visitor space in technical jargon. With this special form of visit, inmates can receive their families for up to 14 hours, including overnight stay – or enjoy intimate time with their partner.