Violence in the country’s institutions is increasing. Last year, over 1,100 incidents of violence and threats between inmates were reported, according to the Statistics of the Prison Service.
At the same time, the number of gang criminals in prison has increased sharply in recent years.
– We currently have close to 1,000 clients linked to organized crime and gang crime. It’s a new challenge for us, says Kenneth Holm, director of security at the Correctional Service.
SVT Nyheter has taken part in incident reports from Sweden’s institutions concerning threats and violence between inmates. More than 120 people have been warned more than three times in the last two years, several of them are connected to the criminal networks.
Three examples
• Male, 22 years old
Sentenced to nearly 14 years in prison for two gang murders in the Järva area. Inside the institution, the violence has continued and the 22-year-old received three warnings last year.
At one point he was in a cell with ten others. When they left the room, staff discovered that one person had blood on his face.
A similar incident took place this summer. Several inmates ran into a cell where a fight was going on, when staff entered the ward one inmate fell out of the room with injuries.
• Male, 20 years old
Shot dead a man in Husby center in 2021 and was sentenced to prison for nine years and ten months for the murder. The time in prison has been messy and resulted in several warnings.
He has threatened staff, participated in fights and on a couple of occasions was in rooms where people were later found injured. On another occasion, the 20-year-old threw a drying rack and a pan at other inmates.
• Male, 22 years old
Convicted for the high-profile double murder in Denmark in 2019. Inside the prison, he has received several warnings after threatening other inmates.
In March, a “riot with about ten inmates” broke out in the ward’s canteen. The man punched another inmate several times and then picked up a chair before the fight ended. In questioning, he said: “I am innocent and I have not taken up any chair”.