Headed by the Minister of Justice,[1] it is responsible for maintaining the legal safeguards necessary for the successful operation of democracy and fundamental rights of the inhabitants of Finland.

[4] The drafting of the most central laws, the functioning of the judicial system, and the enforcement of sentences belong to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice.

Sentences are enforced by the Criminal Sanctions Agency (Finnish: Rikosseuraamuslaitos, Swedish: Brottspåföljdsmyndigheten), which administers the country's imprisonment and rehabilitation system.

The administrative sector of the ministry consists of the courts, Criminal Sanctions Agency and several other offices and boards (below): The Department for Democracy and Public Law is responsible for tasks related to fundamental rights policy, legislation in the field of public law, and implementation of electoral and other participatory rights.

The Department promotes equality, good relations between different ethnic groups, and realisation of linguistic rights.

The Department deals with tasks related to the performance guidance of the Criminal Sanctions Agency, the prosecution service and the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations.

Legal revision and internal audit are also responsibilities of the Management Support and Core Services.