© dpa
A look inside the newly opened suicide prevention room at Moabit Prison. The lighting in the cell can be dimmed and the color of the light changed.
© dpa
Felor Badenberg (CDU), Berlin Senator for Justice and Consumer Protection, gives a television interview during a tour of the new suicide prevention room at Moabit Prison.
The judiciary wants to reduce the risk of suicide in Berlin prisons. One component of this is a special room designed to offer prisoners in acute suicidal crises a safe and dignified environment, according to the Senate Department of Justice.
The first room of this kind was presented today by Senator of Justice Felor Badenberg (CDU). It is located in the Moabit detention center.
The so-called suicide prevention room is intended to provide affected inmates with more intensive care and comprehensive support. Despite being specially equipped with low-risk furniture, the room is designed to radiate a friendly atmosphere. Until now, prisoners at risk of suicide have generally been placed in sparse detention rooms under camera surveillance.
According to the justice administration, the cost of the special room in Moabit Prison was €340,000. According to a spokeswoman, further suicide prevention rooms are to be set up in all closed prisons. The relevant plans are already in place. According to a spokeswoman, the next room of this kind will be set up in Tegel Prison. Planning for this is already underway.
According to the justice administration, there are other measures in place besides special facilities to reduce the risk of suicide. These include regular risk assessments and awareness-raising and training for prison staff. According to experts, the suicide rate among prisoners is significantly higher than in the general population. There are currently 3,524 people incarcerated in Berlin prisons (as of November 26). According to judicial authorities, five inmates have committed suicide so far this year, compared to five in the whole of 2024. In the year of the coronavirus pandemic, with corresponding restrictions in prisons, there were nine suicides, compared to two five years earlier, according to the data.