A parliamentary question was posed to the Minister of Health by the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), asking if a teeth whitening procedure was currently offered in any Austrian prisons, and whether this was financed by tax-payers.
The report went on to note that the question has not yet been answered, however the paper did a little digging of its own, and found out that teeth whitening is indeed available, at least in one prison.
The newspaper went directly to the chief dentist of the prison service, who confirmed that the procedure was offered to prisoners in one location, but they had to pay €90 for it.
The dentist was unwilling to reveal which prison was offering the treatment, but Heute did further research and claims the prison is Sonnberg, which in the past has operated a call-centre to offer 'vocational training' to its prisoners.
The state employs prisoners in various areas, including the kitchen and joinery, where they can earn money which can then be used to purchase dental treatments such as teeth whitening.
Prison Facts
- 7 penal institutions for men – Stein, Graz-Karlau, Garsten, Suben, Sonnberg, Hirtenberg, Wien-Simmering
- 1 penal institution for adolescents – Gerasdorf
- 1 penal institutions for women – Schwarzau
- 3 institutions for involuntary detention (Maßnahmenvollzug) – Göllersdorf, Wien-Mittersteig, Wien-Favoriten
- 15 court institutions („gerichtliche Gefangenenhäuser“) – Eisenstadt, Wien-Josefstadt, Wr. Neustadt, St. Pölten, Krems, Korneuburg, Graz-Jakomini, Leoben, Klagenfurt, Linz, Wels, Ried i.I., Salzburg, Innsbruck, Feldkirch
- The Vienna juvenile court – Wiener Jugendgerichtshilfe
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