The alarm: Overcrowded prisons increase the risk of recidivism

Sweden’s prisons are overcrowded. It complicates the work of the Correctional Service to reduce recidivism, including through treatment programs.

– You are deprived of an opportunity to make a change, says Germay Woldu from Kriminella’s revenge in society (Kris).

The mission of the Correctional Service includes reducing recidivism through treatment programs, school and work. But only a quarter of the clients in institutions who needed the treatment the most, and 13 percent in probation, completed a treatment program last year, according to an audit by the National Audit Office.

Contributing causes are overcrowded prisons and an undersized operation, where premises and trained staff are not sufficient. According to the National Audit Office, clients risk not getting the help they need, which increases the risk of recidivism.

– If you are going to run correctional facilities – that you are cared for when you are in the custody of the Correctional Service – the treatment programs need to work, says Germay Woldu, union chairman for Kris.

Reduce the risk of relapse

What will be the consequences if the Correctional Service cannot meet the needs with treatment programs?

– The problem for the clients is that they are deprived of an opportunity to make a change.

It is not certain that the treatment programs will lead to an end to a criminal lifestyle – but there is still a chance, emphasizes Woldu.

– If they are offered and participate in treatment programs, there is a greater chance that they will not relapse into crime and criminality.

The situation is “incredibly tough”, notes Emma Ekstrand, head of operational content at the Correctional Service.

– We are fighting very hard to complete the mission: both expand and receive all detainees and convicts, but also manage to maintain the recidivism prevention work and the content of the qualitative activities.

– Generally speaking – on a national, overall level – we think we are still maintaining this, she says.

“Then we have not succeeded”

Do you see any risk in what the National Audit Office points out, that the clients do not get the help they need and that this could increase the risk of recidivism?

– Yes absolutely. It is our mission to ensure that when the person leaves us, they have better conditions to avoid falling back into crime and addiction. If we do not succeed in giving clients input, then we have not succeeded in that part of the mission, says Ekstrand.

Now the Correctional Service is working both on expanding its premises and finding new ways of working.

– We work hard to develop our efforts, work smarter and use digitization.

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