JVA Frankfurt am Main III Celebrates 70 Years of Balancing Punishment and Rehabilitation

Discover how this historic prison has evolved, from its early days as a women's prison to its innovative mother-child facility, reflecting Hessen's commitment to progressive penal systems.

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2025 October 8 . 6:03 AM

1 min read

In this picture there is a glass window at the top center side of the image, there is a chair at... — In this picture there is a glass window at the top center side of the image, there is a chair at the right side of the image, in a show case there are toy trains which are arranged in a queue, there is a toy taj mahal at the left side of the image, which is placed on the desk.

JVA Frankfurt am Main III Celebrates 70 Years of Balancing Punishment and Rehabilitation

JVA Frankfurt am Main III, a renowned penal institution, celebrates 70 years of successful operation. Known for its pioneering mother-child facility, it has balanced punishment and rehabilitation since 1955.

Initially opened as a women's prison in 1955, the institution later served as a military prison from 1945 to 1953. It reopened as the central prison and detention center for women in Hesse on August 1, 1955.

Hessen, an early adopter of new penal system approaches, introduced the first mother-child prison unit in Germany at JVA Frankfurt am Main III in 1975. This innovative concept was the brainchild of the institution's first director, Helga Einsele. The old gate was repurposed into a separate closed facility, housing up to five mothers with infants. Today, the mother-child facility can accommodate up to 18 mothers with preschool-aged children.

JVA Frankfurt am Main III, with its 70-year history of balancing punishment and rehabilitation, stands as a testament to Hessen's commitment to innovative penal systems. Its mother-child facility, a pioneering concept introduced by Director Helga Einsele, continues to provide a nurturing environment for both mothers and children.