Zurich Prison
Zurich Prison is the largest pre-trial prison in the canton of Zurich and has a women’s section. Here, you can find out more about the general conditions of the pre-trial prison – from visiting hours to the inmates’ work options.
Table of contents
About us
Zurich Prison (Gefängnis Zürich) was put into operation in 1916 and has since been repeatedly expanded and modernised. In 1991, a provisional container building with 34 beds was added in one of the confined yards.
The Zurich Prison with its 153 places is the largest pre-trial prison in the Canton of Zurich and has – just like the Dielsdorf Prison – a womens’ unit (18 beds).
The Zurich Prison plays an important hub role in taking in police prisoners from the near-by Police Prison and in transferring them to the suitable institutions of the Canton of Zurich.
The presence of the various prosecution offices in the Zurich area (two regular and five specialised prosecutor’s offices) makes the Zurich Prison the most important pre-trial prison in the Canton.
Advantages:
- Capacity: 153, 18 of which for women
- Staff: 47,7 positions
Visits
Visiting hours
Mondays to Fridays:
7.30 am to 11.30 am
1.15 pm to 5.15 pm (except on Thursdays)
5.30 pm to 6.30 pm
Saturday and Sunday:
1pm to 2pm
No visits are possible on Thursday afternoons and public holidays.
Visitation permit and registration
Advantages:
- Before visiting, you have to apply for a permit to the prosecution office.
- In order to visit an inmate, advance notification by phone is mandatory: +41 44 248 25 43
Supervision and treatment
In every prison, medical service, pastoral work, and social counselling are available. In case of an inmate facing psychological problems, he or she may consult a psychiatrist.
Seven days upon entry, all inmates will be given a medical check-up at no charge. Part of these check-ups are examinations of working ability and fitness for enforcement. If necessary, further checks or therapies will be implemented.
For more in-depth information on supervision and treatment, please check our house regulations (in German):
Work
For inmates in pre-trial detention or in preventive detention, work or school attendance are not mandatory. If a person in pre-trial detention or in preventive detention has committed to working on a voluntary basis, he or she has to carry out the tasks assigned to him or her.
Inmates carry out the following tasks:
- Mailing, advertisement mailing, letter shop including dispatching
- Folding and gluing
- Banding
- Lining-up of advertising and packaging boxes
- Wrapping and packing of free samples
- Assemblies
Money transfer to inmates
Cash for a detained person can be handed in against receipt to the prison management during regular business hours.
Money may be transferred as well. Here are the bank details:
| Name of financial institute |
PostFinance, 3030 Bern |
|---|---|
| Payment for | Gefängnis Zürich, Postfach, 8036 Zürich |
| Account | 80-21944-4 |
| IBAN | CH89 0900 0000 8002 1944 4 |
| SWIFT/BIC | POFICHBEXXX |
| Clearing-Nr. | 09000 |
Please make sure to indicate name and surname of the beneficiary as purpose of payment in order for the prison management to be able to assign the amount to the correct account!
Leisure & Holidays
Inmates have the opportunity to use the gym. In any case, inmates can complete an individual training programme in their free time in the cell. The prison management decides whether equipment for physical exercise (plastic dumbbells, etc.) is permitted.
Inmates in pre-trial or preventive detention are not granted any holidays
Further information
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Contact
8004 Zürich
Letter mail:
Rotwandstrasse 21Postfach
8036 Zürich
Parcel post:
Rotwandstrasse 21 8004 Zürich