Record-Breaking Surge in Danish Prison Officer Trainees

Steven Højlund

Writer

January 5, 2026
9:06 am

Denmark’s prisons report the largest intake of correctional officer students in years, signaling potential relief for long-standing staffing shortages as national reforms and pay raises begin to show results.

Record Enrollment at Danish Correctional Services

For the first time in many years, Denmark’s prison system has welcomed a record number of new students training to become prison officers, transport officers, and workshop instructors. The newly rebranded Danish Correctional Services, formerly known as Kriminalforsorgen, has accepted 85 students in this round of enrollment—20 more than the previous record. Of these, 64 are training to become correctional officers, 13 to become transport officers, and 11 to become vocational supervisors.

Ongoing Staffing Challenges in Danish Prisons

For more than a decade, the country’s prisons have struggled with severe staff shortages. With a steady increase in the number of inmates, this lack of personnel has led to rising security concerns, including a higher risk of assaults and under-supervised prison wings. The Danish Prison Association, which represents the officers, has reported continuous declines in staffing for over ten consecutive years.

Several political agreements over recent years have attempted to address this persistent problem. The latest initiative, Denmark’s new criminal justice reform adopted at the end of June, includes significant investments, totaling more than 7.5 billion kroner, to strengthen the prison system and improve working conditions.

A Closer Look at the New Criminal Justice Reform

The reform package includes funding for a retention plan for uniformed employees, expanded recruitment efforts targeting potential candidates from EU and EEA countries, tougher penalties for violent and serious crimes, and new programs to prevent criminal behavior and support vulnerable inmates. The plan also includes building three new prisons, expanding the one in Sdr. Omme, and reopening the Horserød Prison.

Pay Raises and Financial Incentives Drive Renewed Interest

According to the head of the Danish Correctional Services, the recent rise in student intake is likely linked to financial changes introduced over the past few years. Public sector workers, including correctional officers, received a permanent wage increase under a nationwide three-party agreement. This initiative added roughly 30 million kroner to base salaries and helped the profession become more financially stable.

In addition, a 2022–2025 agreement restored the right for correctional officer trainees to receive salary payments instead of the national student grants system (SU) during classroom periods. This change made the path to becoming an officer significantly more accessible for adult learners and those supporting families.

Pop-Up Training Programs Improve Accessibility

To further boost recruitment, new temporary or “pop-up” training centers have been opened across the country. These locations, currently in Odense, Esbjerg, Sdr. Omme, and at Vestre Prison in Copenhagen, make it easier for applicants to study and work close to home. A similar local program previously located in Nykøbing Falster has now been moved to Storstrøm Prison, where admission takes place once a year.

These new setups aim to make correctional education more flexible and attractive, especially given the strong competition for skilled workers across Denmark’s public sector.

Future Outlook and the Prison Capacity Expansion

The justice reform also plans for a major expansion of prison capacity over the next decade. By 2036, Denmark expects to add 2,000 new spots for inmates, along with several new facilities. However, government projections show that the number of correctional officers had fallen by about 500 full-time positions in the previous eight years.

Although the most recent intake marks progress, Denmark’s Minister of Justice has acknowledged that more is needed to meet future goals. Still, if future enrollment rounds continue to attract this many applicants, the correctional service may soon reach a sustainable staffing level.

For now, the high number of new students has been welcomed as a meaningful step forward for overworked prison employees, many of whom have faced heavy workloads and extended shifts for years.