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full screen Photo: Janerik Henriksson / TT / TT News Agency
There is an acute shortage of places in Swedish prisons, detention centers and detention cells.
Therefore, the Correctional Service in Region South is now preparing to place inmates in gymnasiums – as an emergency solution.
– It will be a dormitory with multi-level beds or double mattresses on the floor, where in any case you have your own place to sleep, says Torbjörn Nyberg, unit manager for operational coordination at the Correctional Service.
There is an acute shortage of places in Swedish prisons, detention centers and detention cells. The massive increase in arrests and detentions has led to being forced to move detainees to police remands. This, in turn, has meant that the police’s detention centers have also become full.
Both Region Syd and Region Stockholm have gone into staff mode due to the strained situation.
According to information to Aftonbladet, the Regional Staff of the Correctional Service in Malmö has sent out an email to all places of operation to review the possibilities of filling gymnasiums with inmates due to the acute lack of space.
This is confirmed by Torbjörn Nyberg, unit manager for operational coordination at the Correctional Service.
In Region South, it was overcrowded everywhere last weekend and the police had nowhere to put people who were to be arrested and detained.
– They asked the Correctional Service to release a number of detention places. We managed to solve the situation with transport around the country, but it was extremely tough, he says.
“Emergency plan”
– An occupancy like this in a gym should correspond to a normal residential corridor with 25-30 clients. It will be a dormitory with bunk beds or double mattresses on the floor, where in any case you have your own sleeping place. It is an emergency plan for a limited time.
Created anxiety among staff
According to information to Aftonbladet, the gymnasium solution has created great concern among staff who fear major problems.
Torbjörn Nyberg understands that concern.
– It is incredibly stressful for the staff to have to take care of so many people on the same surface and it is easy for friction to arise in that type of environment. That is precisely why it is good that we raise the level of preparedness already now so that an occupation like this can take place in a calm and safe manner.
He wants to emphasize that the staff’s efforts are absolutely crucial for them to cope with the situation at all.
– They do a fantastic job every day.
“Preparing ourselves for the day to come”
The gymnasiums to be prepared are located inside the detention area and are the inmates’ training room. Torbjörn Nyberg believes that it is not just anyone who will be placed in the halls, but those who are in custody or in prison who have a sentence to execute.
– So far we have not had to resort to this, but we are preparing for that day to come because the situation in the country looks as it does.
In Europe, the Nordic countries or other countries comparable to Sweden, prisoners are not placed in dormitories. It is more common in other countries such as Thailand, the USA or Russia.
– It is not a permanent feature but an emergency solution during the limited time required to find other suitable locations. We are constantly trying to increase capacity but are unable to keep up with the inflow today, says Torbjörn Nyberg.