CONTACT DETAILS
Address
Essen Prison
c/o Note the prisoner’s name
Krawehlstraße 59
D-45130 Essen
Tel.: +49 (0) 201 7246-0
Fax: +49 (0) 201 7246-415
E-Mail: Contact by e-mail
CORRESPONDENCE
Correspondence (prisoners)
The correspondence rules for prisoners are set out in Sections 21 - 23, Sections 25, 26 of the North Rhine-Westphalia Prison Act (StVollzG NRW). Based on those rules, prisoners have the fundamental right to send and receive letters without restrictions. The prison management may prohibit correspondence with certain persons if
- The security or order of the prison would be jeopardised,
- There is reason to fear that contact with persons who are not relatives of the prisoners in accordance with Section 11(1), No. 1, German Criminal Code, shall have a harmful influence on the prisoners or hinder their integration,
- The prisoners want to get in touch with victims of crimes committed by the prisoners and there is reason to fear that such contact shall have a negative impact on the victims or endangered third parties, or that the victims have objected to being contacted.
In accordance with Section 22(1), Prison Act of North Rhine-Westphalia, all incoming and outgoing mail is subject to a visual inspection for unauthorised items, such as money, SIM cards or drugs. In accordance with Section 22(2), Prison Act of North Rhine-Westphalia, correspondence may also be monitored for reasons of treatment or security or order. However, Section 26, StVollzG NRW, excludes some recipients or senders from this, such as defence lawyers, parliaments, petition bodies, data protection officers and prison officers. Therefore, the constitutionally protected secrecy of correspondence also applies to prisoners, albeit not without restrictions.
Prisoners shall bear the postage costs.
Correspondence (prisoners on remand)
The regulation for correspondence of remand prisoners is set out in Section 20, North Rhine-Westphalia Pre-trial Detention Act (UVollzG NRW). Accordingly, remand prisoners may, in principle, send and receive letters without restrictions.
Letters are only viewed if this has been expressly ordered by a judge to prevent the risk of absconding, collusion or re-offending.
Remand prisoners shall bear the postage costs.
VISITORS
For private individuals (register at the gate):
|
Weekdays: |
Time: |
Type of visit: |
|---|---|---|
|
Monday |
No visitors |
Individual visits (visual and acoustic monitoring) |
|
Tuesday |
8:40 a.m. - 3:10 p.m. |
Individual visits (visual and acoustic monitoring) |
|
Thursday |
8:40 a.m. - 3:10 p.m. |
Individual visits (visual and acoustic monitoring) |
|
Monday |
8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. |
Joint visit (visual monitoring) |
|
Wednesday |
11:30 a.m. - 5:15 p.m. |
Joint visit (visual monitoring) |
|
On the first Saturday of each month |
8:45 a.m. |
Joint visit (visual monitoring) |
|
On the first Saturday of each month |
10:30 a.m. And 12:45 p.m. |
Children’s visit (by prior arrangement) |
As a matter of principle, visiting hours are two hours each month, divided into two visits of 60 minutes each. In the case of people visiting remand prisoners, a corresponding visiting permit shall be required from the court with competent jurisdiction.
In the case of people visiting prisoners, visits may last longer in individual cases. No judicial authorisation is required.
Appointments for individual and group visits are to be arranged with the visitor registration office. They can be contacted on Mondays between 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (lunch break: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.) and on Wednesdays from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on +49 (0) 201 7246-156. However, visits can now also be arranged by e-mail besuch@jva-essen.nrw.de ).
Every visitor must present a valid identity card or passport and, in the case of remand prisoners, a visitor’s permit from the court with jurisdiction. So-called provisional residence permits may only be accepted if they have been issued on the basis of a valid identity document from another country. Admission shall be refused if the provisional residence permit has been issued solely on the basis of the information provided by its holder. The same applies to ID cards and passports that have expired.
Permission, such as the release of items from the prisoner’s belongings or the handover of items or issuance of a power of attorney etc., must be noted by the judge on the visitor’s permit in the case of remand prisoners and issued by the institution in the case of prisoners. Items for detainees must be approved before they are brought in. Handing over unauthorised or prohibited items may be punished as a misdemeanour with a ban on visits and an administrative fine.
Sweets, tobacco and cigarettes can be purchased from vending machines in the visitor waiting room. For that purpose, you may take € 20.00 in cash with you into the waiting room. The vending machines accept € 5, € 10 and € 20 notes as well as coins. Please note that you are not permitted to take any change from the vending machines into the visiting area.
Furthermore, you have the option of bringing the following amounts of personal clothing to your relative in custody:
8 pairs of socks, 8 pairs of underpants, 5 T-shirts, 5 vests, 2 pairs of trousers, 2 pairs of shorts, 1 pair of shoes, 1 pair of trainers, 2 jumpers, 1 jacket, 2 tracksuits (complete), 1 pair of flip-flops , 2 items of head wear, 1 scarf, 1 pair of gloves (wool), 1 pair of sports gloves (not lined), 1 shirt, 1 tie, 4 towels, 1 belt, 1 prayer mat (without fringes), 1 shopping bag
There is a strict ban on smoking in the institution in both communal and individual visiting rooms.
Important: Saturday visits are only permitted on the first Saturday of the month. Furthermore, for organisational reasons, the 60-minute visiting time on Saturdays may not be exceeded!
Important: Please notify us before the check if you have a pacemaker!!
VISITING WITH CHILDREN
The imprisonment of a parent is a particularly heavy burden for minor children. Imprisoned parents also face the difficult task of maintaining or establishing trusting contact with the child during the period of imprisonment. For this reason, family contacts - in particular with minor children - are particularly encouraged in North Rhine-Westphalia. Therefore, an additional statutory visiting contingent applies to minor children. Furthermore, North Rhine-Westphalia endeavours to take particular account of the needs of minor children during the visit.
DIRECTIONS
By public transport
- If you are arriving by train, take the U17 from Essen main station to the Gemarkenplatz stop. Then walk (approximately 5 minutes): through Brunostraße (passing the Deutsche Bank branch on the left), then take the 2nd road on the right into Krawehlstraße.
- Or take the 106 tram into the city centre and get off at the Landgericht stop.
Then walk (approximately 3 minutes): through Virchowstraße (to the left of the district court and the new public prosecutor’s office), then take the first road
on the right into Krawehlstraße.
By car:
- Via the A52, e.g. from Düsseldorf, take the Essen-Rüttenscheid exit, then follow the B224 towards the city centre (Zentrum). After approximately 1,900 metres, turn left into Krawehlstraße.
- Via the A40 motorway from Bochum to the Stadtmitte exit, towards Holsterhausen, at approximately 1,600 metres turn left into Virchowstraße, then after approximately 200 metres turn left into Krawehlstraße.
- Via the A40 motorway from Duisburg to the Holsterhausen/Altendorf exit, then turn right and at the 3rd traffic light turn left into Holsterhauser Straße, after about 500 metres turn right into Virchowstraße and after another 200 metres turn left into Krawehlstraße.
BANK DETAILS
Money can only be transferred to the prison account:
Recipient: JVA Essen
Bank: Postbank Essen
BIC: PBNKDEFF
IBAN: DE83 3601 0043 0003 1094 32
Reference: Surname, first name, date of birth of the prisoner
Important notice:
The full name and date of birth must at all times be stated as the reference for prisoner transfers. If known, you can also provide the prisoner’s book number as additional information. Cash payments are only possible immediately before each visit at the payment office. Sending cash in letters, or even handing over money directly to prisoners, is not permitted.