Harku and Murru Prison

Harku Territory

We can say that the detention facility at Harku dates back to 1926 when a decision was made to establish a penal servitude prison here. From the 1920s to 1930s, at different times there was a prison for adults, a house of correction for juvenile criminals, and a labour camp for idlers and drunks at Harku. In 1965, Harku Prison was turned into a women’s prison; early in 2010, elderly male prisoners were also placed here. January 2011 saw the merger of Harku and Murru Prisons.

Harku Imprisonment Department is located on the outskirts of Tallinn (approximately 12 km from the city centre) on 8.3 hectares of guarded land on the eastern side of Harku Small Town.

At Harku Imprisonment Department, children below 4 years of age can stay with their mothers – the prison offers them a separate customised department with modern facilities.

The prison has a rehabilitation ward for a maximum of 8 prisoners with drug addiction problems. It offers an intensive programme to help the patients cope with and overcome their addiction.

At Harku, prisoners can obtain both basic and secondary education, as well as acquire sewing or gardening qualifications.

From 2001, work at Harku sewing workshop is organised by AS Eesti Vanglatööstus. In addition to sewing, prisoners are paid for working in the boiler house, kitchen, and laundry house, and for cleaning the territory and premises.

Murru Territory

Murru Jail was established on January 1, 1938 as a stone manufactory that enabled to set up to 400 convicts to work. During the Soviet Occupation from 1961 to 1991 as well as after the restoration of independence from 1991 to 2000, Rummu Prison that has now merged with Murru Prison operated as an independent prison. In 2004, it became the Open Prison Department of Murru Prison. 2007 saw the merger of Murru and Ämari Prisons.

Work is coordinated by AS Eesti Vanglatööstus; four companies are operating on Murru Territory. About 50–60 prisoners work at Murru and 15–20 prisoners work outside the prison.

Prisoners can learn a trade as woodworking workbench operators, gardeners, electricians, welders, and fitters. In 2008, Murru got a new vocational training centre, which offers entirely modern training conditions for 120 prisoners. The prison also has a computer class and a library.

The prison staff comprises 222.65 official and support staff positions, including 175.5 prison officer positions. The number of prisoners at Harku and Murru Prisons is available here.