Swedish government pushes rapid expansion of prison capacity

The Swedish government has instructed the Prison and Probation Service (Kriminalvården) to accelerate the construction of new prison places and explore modular, temporary solutions. The aim is to provide the thousands of additional spots needed to eliminate the sentencing discount for repeat offenders by 2030.

Director Rikard Jermsten described the task as a major challenge but expressed confidence that Kriminalvården can meet it, while warning that overcrowding could increase violence among inmates. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said the government will seek a parliamentary mandate to decide the timing of the reform’s rollout, pledging to drop the discount within the next four years if the Tidö parties win the election. Opposition parties, including the Social Democrats, plan to vote against the proposal, citing concerns over implementation time and financing.