The Hungarian Prison Service Headquarters (BvOP) announced on Tuesday that prisoners are producing metal and wooden furnishings for the new prison being built in Csenger, which will accommodate 1,500 inmates.

Head of the Communication Department Colonel György Makula stated that alongside innovative IT developments, the cell equipment will also be most modern in the new prison. Production is in full swing at the Sopronkőhida Ironworks and the Budapest Carpentry Workshop of the Prison Service. Except for the cell cabinets, which are being executed in collaboration with Duna Mix Ltd, all metal furnishings are being manufactured at Sopronkőhida Ironworks. He added: ‘The metal cell furnishings will be entirely different from the previously standardized ones, ensuring compliance with safety standards.

All prisoner beds, cabinets, tables, and chairs will be wall-mountable to prevent vandalism and the hiding of unauthorized items.’

Colonel Makula also mentioned that the self-designed cell fixtures will be produced in four different colours, and modern painting will be done at the company’s powder coating facility, established in 2022 as an in-house investment. This facility employs 26 inmates serving their sentences at the Sopronkőhida Prison. Furthermore, he explained that within a month and a half, 850 pieces of furniture will be produced by inmates at the Budapest site of Nagyfa – Alföld Ltd.

He highlighted that applications are still open for various positions at the new Csenger prison, particularly for supervisory roles, dog handlers, food and kitchen supervisors, specialist doctors, dentists, nurses, and clinical psychologists.

So-called smart prisons have been built worldwide since 2018, State Secretary Bence Rétvári explained in January, noting that digital elements are already present in Hungarian prisons. In many cases, interactions with relatives, interrogations, and administrative processes are conducted using such tools. However, the Csenger prison will feature technology that allows full control over the movements of inmates, analysing their behaviour and facial expressions with the help of artificial intelligence. If they behave unexpectedly, the system sends an alert to the supervisors to prepare for any extraordinary events. This will further enhance the safety of incarceration, minimizing the possibility of escapes.

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Sources: Hungarian Conservative/BvOP