Changes in the Prison and Probation Service of Finland enter into force as of 1 January 2025

The Prison and Probation Service held cooperation negotiations for production-related grounds between 2 and 16 August 2024. The cooperation negotiations were carried out in consequence of the ex-post evaluation of the organisational reform of the Prison and Probation Service, and as a result of the negotiations, it was proposed to merge some of the prison and probation centres and probation offices.

As of 1 January 2025, the Prison and Probation Service will have seven prison and probation centres. Each prison and probation centre consists of prisons and a probation office. A probation office may have several branch offices. The number of branch offices will stay the same. In this change, Vanaja Prison and Ojoinen Prison will be merged but continue to operate in separate locations.

The names of the prison and probation centres and probation offices are the following:

• Prison and Probation Centre for Helsinki and Helsinki Probation Office
• Prison and Probation Centre for Uusimaa and Uusimaa Probation Office
• Prison and Probation Centre for Southwestern Finland and Southwest Probation Office (branch offices in Turku, Pori and Åland)
• Prison and Probation Centre for Häme and Pirkanmaa and Häme and Pirkanmaa Probation Office (branch offices in Hämeenlinna, Lahti and Tampere)
• Prison and Probation Centre for Eastern Finland and Eastern Finland Probation Office (branch offices in Mikkeli, Kouvola, Lappeenranta and Joensuu)
• Prison and Probation Centre for Central Finland and Central Finland Probation Office (branch offices in Kuopio, Iisalmi, Vaasa, Seinäjoki, Jyväskylä and Kokkola)
• Prison and Probation Centre for Northern Finland and Northern Finland Probation Office (branch offices in Oulu, Rovaniemi, Kajaani, Kuusamo and Kemi)

Aiming to create an organisation that better supports the core tasks of the Prison and Probation Service

The aim of changing the organisation is to create a clearer and more understandable organisation that better supports the core tasks of the Prison and Probation Service. The ex-post evaluation of the organisation reform showed that the size of the prison and probation centres varied considerably, which is not appropriate from an operational point of view. The changes in the organisation are intended to ensure consistency more effectively.

– With seven prison and probation centres, we will have a more balanced and equitable management system, which will allow us to better manage consistent practices and enhance cooperation with stakeholders, says Riitta Kari, Director of Core Operations Department.

New directors and heads of unit appointed

The Prison and Probation Service has appointed new directors and heads of units, who start on 1 January 2025.

• Jaana Leinonen-Nielsen as Director of Prison and Probation Centre for Eastern Finland for the duration of Marko Hokkanen’s leave of absence from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2028
• Raimo Kärkkäinen as Director of Prison and Probation Centre for Northern Finland
• Minna Saukko as Director of Prison and Probation Centre for Häme and Pirkanmaa
• Tuula Tarvainen as Director of Prison and Probation Centre for Central Finland
• Johanna Erholtz as Head of Hämeenlinna Prison
• Lotta Joensuu as Head of Kerava Prison
• Tuomo Kärjenmäki as Head of Vanaja and Ojoinen Prison
• Tiina Leinonen as Head of Häme and Pirkanmaa Probation Office
• Eija Kamppila as Head of Central Finland Probation Office
• Juha Pitkänen as Head of Eastern Finland Probation Office
• Kati Kettukivi as Head of Northern Finland Probation Office

All the public officials affected by the change were offered either permanent or fixed-term positions in the Prison and Probation Service. Two officials resigned during the process.

Email addresses of the new probation offices

Häme and Pirkanmaa Probation Office: [email protected]
Eastern Finland Probation Office: [email protected]
Central Finland Probation Office: [email protected]
Northern Finland Probation Office: [email protected]

Further information:
Director of Core Operations Department Riitta Kari
tel. +358 29 568 8401
[email protected]

Matters relating to cooperation procedure:
Head of Unit Anni Ritari
tel. +358 29 568 8481
[email protected]