Murru Prison

Murru Prison is located in the village of Rummu in Vasalemma municipality in Harju County.

The prison’s administrative building has three floors: the first floor is used for short visits; the second has rooms for longer visits; and the third houses the working rooms of prison staff. The oldest building of the prison (dating back to 1949) accommodates its medical and security departments, one section of the economic department and its training rooms. A larger complex is formed by a two-storey building which has the prison’s canteens, kitchen and shop on the first floor, and the imprisonment, social and supervision departments and another section of the economic department on the second floor. The prison of course also has living quarters for its inmates. A new vocational training building was completed at the prison in 2008.

507 convicted offenders were serving sentences at Murru Prison in October 2008. The prison employs 292 people, 225 of whom are prison officers.

Employment at the prison is coordinated by AS Eesti Vanglatööstus. Four companies currently operate on the prison premises. Around 290 inmates work within the prison itself, and between 20 and 30 work outside of the prison.

Murru Prison offers inmates the opportunity to obtain secondary education as well as to learn a variety of trades: cabinet-making, gardening, welding and dress-making. There is also a computer class and two libraries.

History of Murru Prison

Murru Prison was founded on 1 January 1938 and originally known as Murru Jailhouse. Starting in 1941 it was renamed several times using codes, becoming ITK-2, then ITU-2 and finally JUM-422/2. It was eventually given the name Murru Prison in 1994.

From 1961 to 1991 (during the Soviet era) and from 1991 to 2000 (after Estonia regained its independence), part of what now forms the north-east section of the prison operated as a separate entity: the independent Rummu Prison (formerly JUM-422/3). On 1 April 2004 it was merged with Murru Prison and began operating as its minimum-security wing.

From 1937 to 1938, during the first period of Estonian independence, wooden buildings – barracks – were erected on the premises of the then Murru Jailhouse. The facility as a whole comprised a guards’ building, two barracks for inmates, an industrial building and an open shed for stonemasons. The prison’s first solitary confinement unit and sauna and laundry house were completed in 1949.

The main buildings of the prison were constructed between 1960 and 1980 in accordance with the requirements of penal colonies that were in force at the time.

The prison was originally developed as a centre for stonemasonry, with up to 400 inmates being put to work on a daily basis. This industry declined in the 1970s, and inmates began to be employed in metalwork and woodwork instead. Subsidiaries of a number of factories operated in the prison. Military orders were also filled. The inmates worked in three shifts. Together with those of Rummu Prison, the number of inmates at the facility reached 5000. All were taught the trade they were to take on, and working in the prison was mandatory.

After Estonia regained its independence the factories closed down their subsidiaries at the prison and employment declined sharply: from 98% to between 20 and 30%.

With the launch of AS Eesti Vanglatööstus in 2001 the prison abandoned its industrial work and all production activity at the prison ceased.

A vocational school was established at the prison in 1968 which taught not only general subjects but also metalwork trades. It also trained inmates to become tractor and boiler operators.

The subjects offered at the school have since been updated to meet modern requirements. A new, fully equipped vocational education building was completed at Murru Prison in early 2008 which can accommodate up to 120 students. The inmates’ and employees’ canteens have also been renovated.

2007 saw the merger of Murru and Ämari Prisons.

The main objective for the 2000–2010 period is to modernise the prison and complete a transition from a dormitory-style system to a cell-based one.