Prisons in Iceland are few and generally low security.
| Name | Municipality | Established | Capacity | Security level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hegningarhúsið | Reykjavík | 1874 | 16 | Medium | Used for short detention, short sentences and for new prisoners awaiting transfer. |
| Litla-Hraun prison | Eyrabakki | 1929 | 45 | High | Used for prisoners with long sentences, particularly those with a history of violence. |
| Kvíabryggja prison | Grundarfjörður | 1954 | 22 | Open prison | Used for prisoners with a remaining sentence of 2 year or less. Prisoners are expected to either work or receive education and to take care of themselves for the most part. |
| Akureyri prison | Akureyri | 1978 | 10 | Low | Used for prisoners with a remaining sentence of 1 year or less. Prisoners are expected to either work or receive education and to take care of themselves for the most part. |
| Fangelsið Kópavogsbraut 17 | Kópavogur | 1989 | 12 | Medium | All female prisoners serve their sentences in Kópavogur, short sentences can be served elsewhere. Due to the low female prison population, male prisoners with short sentences and no history of violence are also accepted. |
| Bitra prison | Selfoss | 2010 | 16 | Open prison | Prisoners are expected to either work or receive education and to take care of themselves for the most part. |
Famous quotes containing the word prisons:
“Yes, it is the hour at which, long ago, I felt happy. What always awaited me then was a light and dreamless sleep. But something had changed because, with the wait for tomorrow, it is my cell that I have found. As if the familiar paths traced in the summer skies could lead to prisons as well as innocent slumbers.”
—Albert Camus (1913–1960)