In the center of Sátoraljaújhely, rounded by protected environment, stands the former King’s Lawhouse (built in 1905), which is today functioning as a prison and penitentiary. The basic task is to provide the imprisonment of final convicted adult men and the implementation of the pre-trial detention of the local district court. The prison approximetly provides to host 400 prisoners.
Our institution mostly accomplish the punishment of those who comitted serious, violent and priority crimes, although in some case, we fulfill the implementation of life imprisonment. We have a strick rule-system, which provides the instituion’s order and safety, beside this, we expect from the prisoners to cooperate with us during their penalty.
We think, that the most important part of the reintegration is the work, that’s why the bigger amount (those, who are capable of work) of prisoners work at the ADORJÁN-TEX Kft., where they can produce for JURTA work clothes, house textils, and uniform for the BM (BM=Ministry of Home Affairs) workers. Besides these, they are also doing hand shoemaking and industrial bag sewing. Although the prisoners take part in the works around the institution, like supply (kitchen, laundry), maintenance (workplace) and renovation, and inside of our facility they are deburring the aluminium products from PREC-CAST foundry. The final items use in the German car industry. The facility involved of the 87% of the prisoners for any kind of type of work.
To prepare the prisoners for the after jail life, prevent new crimes and to help them to change their previous lifestyle, we provide them organised trainings. To dicrease the sideeffects of the prison stay, they can participate in personal development, conflict-, anger management or work trainings, or other small group workshops, where they can get lifestyle advices about how to quit smoking and drug using.
To spend their free time in useful way, we organise and provide them self-improving painting, ceramic, paper mock-up making, music and sport workshops for them. From the end products of the ceramic, painting and paper mock-up trainings, we organise an exhibition in the Prison Museum. From 2008 we provide for them to take part in the reparation programs, beside this in case of need, they can participate in flood defence as well. Since their initiative, in extraordinary situations they can collect funds for people in need.
Our high importance reintegration programs for the imprisoners is the cursillos, which is in the field of criminal justice and in Europe, in our institute come to life first. The staff of the Prison characterized by sense of vocation and professionalism. The Major’s Office of Sátoraljaújhely appreciated the work of our collegues with the Civil Service price in 2014.
Since from the beginning we play an important role in the city, that’s why it’s significant, that our work fits into the population’s life and expectations. Since a few years now we are trying to manage a cheap, environtment-friendly and energy saver function, which, we try to achieve through applications, competition. In 2008 we built a whole suncollector system to dicrease our energy use, one suncollector system provides our hot water needs. We dicreased the water use with using aerators, energy saver kitchen- and laundry machines, and other technical solutions. In the boiler house, commander building and the buildings of the prisoners, we save money with modern thermal insulation and heating solutions. Since we use environment friendly technology and modern/advanced devices we produce 286 ton less CO2.
„We can say, we made a mistake, when we make one and we don’t make it up. If you made a mistake, don’t be ashamed to make amends!”
Elias Canetti
