Sweden Aims to Speed Up Prison Expansion to Abolish Sentence Discounts

The Swedish government is pushing for a faster expansion of prison capacity, aiming to eliminate sentence discounts for repeat offenders by 2030. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer announced that the government will assign this new task to the Swedish Prison and Probation Service (Kriminalvården) on Tuesday.

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It is a big challenge.

Director-General Rikard Jermsten acknowledged the significant challenge, stating that "several thousand places" are needed. The Prison and Probation Service is tasked with exploring ways to increase its already high expansion rate. This includes speeding up the construction of new facilities and the renovation of existing ones. The agency is also analyzing the feasibility of implementing rapid, temporary modular solutions at more locations.

Concerns have been raised by the union Seko, which has warned that insufficient space in correctional facilities could become a "ticking time bomb" leading to increased violence. The Prison and Probation Service's 2025 annual report indicates a rise in threats and violence among inmates. Jermsten emphasized that further densification of existing facilities is not a viable path forward, stressing the need to ensure "there is no increased risk of violence inside prisons and detention centers."

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It is several thousand places that are involved. There is no doubt about that.

Another hurdle is identifying suitable locations for expansion that also allow for staff recruitment. Despite these challenges, Jermsten expressed confidence that the agency can fulfill its mandate. He also highlighted the importance of implementing sentence reforms in an orderly manner, welcoming a phased approach rather than a simultaneous rollout.

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We must ensure that there is no increased risk of violence inside prisons and detention centers. That is central.

The Riksdag is scheduled to vote on Thursday regarding the government's broader penal reform, which includes proposals to remove certain grounds for sentence reductions. The government seeks the authority to decide on the implementation timeline for various parts of the reform independently. The Social Democrats, however, plan to vote against the government's proposal, deeming it "unserious" due to a lack of clarity on timing and funding. They propose abolishing sentence discounts for serious violent crimes and starting with sexual offenses in the next term.

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I welcome that the commencement can take place in an orderly manner so that not everything happens at once.