More prison places are needed in future

STOCKHOLM: Swedish law enforcement received 1,372 000 notifications of crime last year, an increase of 68 300 crimes or five per cent since the year before.

Figures indicate that at least 1 600 more places in prison are needed within the next three years. The police, prosecutors, courts and prisons prepared the analysis in cooperation with the Crime Prevention Council (Brå).

The authorities' managers believe there will be dramatic increases. The Police Commissioner predicts that the crimes will increase by 11 percent over the next three years resulting in an increased workload by 21 percent according to the Prosecutor's Office figures.

Courts Administration predicts that the pending criminal cases will increase by 24 percent.

Finally, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, (Kriminalvården) which is the last link in the chain, predicts an increase in place’s needed in prisons and detention centres. They estimate an increase from the current 6 400 to 8 000 in three years.

This means that although three new prisons and two detention facilities that will be ready in 2012, there will be an over all loss of places. Further extensions of the Kriminalvården are required if the development are to reach its target. Therefore Kriminalvården wants to build two extra large prisons with space for up to 600 prisoners each. These prisons, according to magazine RuntiKrim will be located in Norrköping and Kristianstad.

According to statistics, from the National Council for Crime Prevention, 91 500 drug offences was reported in 2008, more than 28 100 alcohol offences was reported and doping offences increased to over 1900.

Av Drugnews/Bruce Clarke

Publicerad: 2009-03-05 15:29