The prison was used for the enforcement of imprisonment and execution of arrests and had a total of 241 inmates.

The correctional facility opened as Forbedringshuset på Vridsløselille Mark in 1859.

This system involved complete isolation of prisoners around the clock with the aim that they should have time and opportunity to repent their sins and reconcile themselves with God.

The removal of prisoners from Vridsløselille, after being originally planned for 2017, started in November 2015 and was completed in January 2016.

When the actor behind the series' protagonist, Ove Sprogøe, died in September 2004 people began talking about whether the road then named Fængselsvej (Prison Road) between Roskildevej and the prison should be renamed after Ove Sprogøe's famous character from the movies, Egon Olsen.