In February, an armed release of a correctional service client took place in connection with a hospital visit in Norrköping. In April, a Sis client who was transported by the Prison Service to a dentist’s appointment in Södertälje was released. The latter was arrested shortly afterwards by the police.
“Clear escalation”
Now the Correctional Service must increase security during the transport of inmates to prevent releases when inmates are transported outside the institutions.
“We see a clear escalation in the level of violence that our correctional officers in external service have been confronted with in their work. We need to go through our routines and take measures to avoid something like this happening again,” says Martin Holmgren, Director General of the Correctional Service, in a press release.
Sharpen the routines
The government also wants to see an improvement and has given the authority a government mandate to increase security in collaboration with the Norwegian Institutions Board (SiS), the Swedish Migration Agency and the police.
“We are looking at several proposals. This applies, for example, to the possibility of using civilian cars and civilian uniforms in certain situations. There is also some work to be done regarding routines for doctor visits and dentist visits,” says Joacim Trybom.
Today, between 300 and 500 escorted transports are carried out. If transports with a similar risk profile as the two inmates who were recently released are to be included, there would be around 5,000, according to Joacim Trybom.
Hear Marcus Carlström, chairman of Seko at the Correctional Service’s national transport unit, tell in the clip that the problems with prisoner transport have been exacerbated by the lack of space and staff at the Correctional Service.