Karl-Heinz Grasser in Innsbruck's brickwood: This is how dreary is his everyday life!

Karl-Heinz Grasser in Innsbruck's brickwood: This is how dreary is his everyday life!

Justizanstalt Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Österreich - On May 30, 2025, former finance minister Karl-Heinz Grasser will compete in the Innsbruck prison sentence, which is also known as a brick stad. Grasser, who attracted international attention 25 years ago as a “Mister zero deficit”, must serve at least half of his punishment in accordance with the case laws. Despite his well -known aggressive campaign against state institutions, Grasser has so far been unable to benefit from his attempts. His punishment is considered mild, especially because of the long period of proceedings, which he has indebted due to requests for evidence and alleviation tactics. He recently explained private bankruptcy and has now received a "request to start in prison".

The prison in which Grasser is moved has the call to be overcrowded, often four inmates in a room and additional stick beds. For other institutions, such as those in Vienna-Josefstadt, it is reported that up to ten people are accommodated per cell. This overcrowding is a factor that has a strong impact on the everyday life of the prisoners. Grasser is confronted with conditions that can be seen as anything but human, especially with regard to a lack of personnel that also leads to an intensified isolation.

everyday life in prison

The everyday prison life in Innsbruck begins to wake up for the occupants at 6 a.m. After breakfast, a stand control follows before the actual daily routine starts from 7 a.m. The prisoners have optional job opportunities in a carpentry, a locksmith and in a car workshop, but many of the workshops are closed due to lack of staff.

Currently on average only three hours a day work, with about 30 percent of the prisoners in Innsbruck have no employment, which leads to an unreasonable daily routine. An essential part of the prison system is the re -socialization, which is set as a goal in accordance with the 1977 penal system law. In this context, it is emphasized that job opportunities in prison can be a first step towards returning to a unpunished life.

challenges and perspectives

The mental care of the occupants is also worrying. Many mentally ill prisoners are sedated with medication, partly due to the lack of specialized institutional psychiatrists. The problem is increased by the fact that the night duty starts at 12:30 p.m. on weekends, while on weekdays it only starts at 3:00 p.m. This means that the occupants are often locked up in their cells for up to 23 hours a day, with just one hour for the courtyard.

The conditions in the Innsbruck judge are symptomatic of the challenges in the Austrian prison system. The goal of re -socialization is undermined by the fact that many prisoners hardly come to a meaningful employment, which increases relapse rates in the long term. Recent studies show that the relapse rate of released prisoners is around a third within the first three years, while better integration in job opportunities and education could contribute to the reduced relapse rate. The political debate about alternative punitive measures and the need to focus more on re -socialization remains up to date.

The coming months will show how Grasser can constantly avoid these conditions while he is preparing for his detention. The experience of the prisoners in this overcrowded and tense environment could be a tough lesson about the reality of the prison system.

For more information about the living conditions in prison and the challenges for prisoners, OE24 gave deep insights, supplemented by the reporting of BPB