Long-term obligation

In Germany, a life sentence means a minimum of 15 years behind bars. Bilfinger Berger’s commitment to the Burg Prison is longer: the company is responsible for the operation of the facility for a period of 25 years.

(Text: Uschi Entenmann, Photos: Kathrin Harms)

Escape is completely out of the question. Even if a prisoner managed to get over the security fence, sensors located below the ground in the security trenches would locate him. And he wouldn’t have any luck if he tried to hide in a delivery truck, either: the exit is equipped with a detector that can register a human heartbeat.

But it is not only its security systems that make the prison in Burg, where about 658 hardened criminals serve sentences of at least three years, the most modern in Germany. The most interesting thing about this correctional facility near Magdeburg is that Bilfinger Berger not only financed, designed and built it, they are now also operating it.

The company will be taking a lot of work off the hands of the justice system in the next quarter century. The organization of the facility will of course remain a sovereign task for the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. Responsibility for all other services, however, will be assumed by about 100 employees of Bilfinger Berger or its specialized partners.

A clear division of responsibilities ensures greater efficiency

These private companies manage the highly sophisticated security technology that includes more than 500 video cameras and 2,000 locks along with the complete building technology. And the work doesn’t stop there: if a chair is damaged or even if a light bulb fails in one of the cells or in the visitor’s area they ensure that it is replaced – within minutes. They are responsible for the library with its collection of more than 5,000 books and organize the regular sporting activities for the inmates. Football, volleyball or basketball are on each inmate’s schedule twice a week in the indoor sports hall. The operation of the kitchen and laundry facilities is also up to the private companies, as is the provision of medical care by trained nurses.

The fact that Saxony-Anhalt, a state with significant per capita debt levels, can afford this full-service package can be attributed to publicprivate partnership (PPP). The project volume amounts to about €500 million and includes the construction, maintenance, operation and financing of the facility for the next 25 years, for which Saxony-Anhalt pays a monthly usage fee. Studies confirm that, over the entire contract period, costs are lower than they would be for a conventional approach.

An important criteria for PPP projects, in addition to the long-term relationship between private service providers and the public-sector, is the effort that is made to jointly achieving a reduction in lifecycle costs. This benefits both partners. The goal is not so much ensuring that the initial construction investment is as low as possible but, above all, achieving a sustainable level of operation. In Burg, for example, a decision was made for a wood-chip heating system to complement the gas heating. This is a more economical and a more ecological approach. In another area, it was decided that low-energy lamps should be used which turn themselves off automatically as soon as a room is empty. Then the heating also reduces its output.

Sustainable operation is the primary objective

Angela Kolb, the Social Democratic Justice Minister in Saxony-Anhalt, is a strong proponent of public-private partnerships – although the decision for such a solution had been made by the previous Christian Democratic government. “PPP models offer long-term planning security, an important requirement for the reasonable and efficient management of the correctional facility”, commented the Minister. “A clear division of responsibilities between the prison administration and private companies is a major advantage – one that speaks volumes for this kind of procurement.”

Holger Lüth, Head of the Burg Prison: “A quantum leap”

“When a camera breaks down at another correctional facility, replacing it can take time. If a trainer is ill, the sporting activity is canceled. The number of disciplinary measures rises, because the inmates cannot burn off their energy in a sensible manner. Here, when a trainer is ill, another one takes his place. Bilfinger Berger must ensure that is the case. The same applies for medical professionals, psychologists or camera repair. I have been working in prisons for the last 22 years. In my view, the Burg Prison represents a quantum leap in the penal system.”