Why is Sweden considering reforming their prisons?

10 Quotes with Explanations

Michelle Perry

February 15, 2010

Research Question:

Why is Sweden considering reforming their prisons?

Quote #1:  Prisoners can also apply for leaves up to four hours accompanied by staff members according to Lizette Alvarez from The New York Times in an article regarding prison escapes in 2004. 

Violent offenders can apply for a leave up to four hours and they will be chaperoned by a prison staff member. Reports have said that the budget for this is shrinking but it is still going on. I understand that it does not mean that it will be approved but this is a waste of time and money.  Why give them that option if it will just be denied?  Even if the prisoner is not violent, why should the law afford four hour leaves to convicted criminals?  The government also has to pay for the correctional offices to accompany the criminal on this outing.  This poses a risk for the officer as even if the criminal has a non-violent background, he may be desperate enough to escape that he just pay graduate to violence.  After reviewing policy and procedures of the prisons in Sweden, I think that they should not let the prisoners have so much freedom and privileges.  When they were convicted of the crime that got them put into the criminal justice system, they should loose their rights.  Some inmates might have been convicted of drug trafficking which is not a violent offence yet is still very serious and no leave time should ever be granted to a criminal of that caliber.  (214 words)

Quote #2:  Prison officials say inmates are savvier, bolder, more organized and more violent than in the past; they have become more adept at smuggling in contraband, including weapons and cell phones as reported in the Lizette Alvarez from The New York Times.

Prison officials have the best analysis of situation as they work inside the walls, so if they are making these kinds of statements about the current criminals locked up in Sweden then I think it would be a fair assumption that the justice system needs a closer look.  The prisons in Sweden are getting what could be called super criminals.  These career criminals most likely have been to prison before and were schooled by other, more dangerous offenders, and then they are put back on the streets after serving their time only to commit a more heinous offences and return to the over crowded prison.  When they return they are already wise to the prisons liberal ways and know how to smuggle in dangerous items into the prison walls.  Gang leaders have been able to smuggle cell phones inside and give commands to their gang to carry out drug deals, murders and other crimes.  (154 words)

Quote #3:  Lizette Alvarez from The New York Times wrote an article titled Escapes Lead Sweden to Rethink Liberal Prison System where she explained that televisions in every cell are a luxury and rewards criminals for their bad behavior.

Bored inmates, even get those in high security prisons can simply switch on their television sets.  There is on in every room or cell. This practice would not be permitted in the prisons in the Unites States as the programs are stricter there.  A television room would be a brighter idea and would be a reward for prisons that are reformed and following policy in the prison.  That would still be a luxury but it pales when compared to TV sets in each cell.  Rather than giving criminals the option to relax in front of a TV and watch a sitcom, there should be a privilege that allows the inmate to make a visit to the prison library.  High security usually means that the criminal is violent or a possible sex offender.  At the point of conviction this TV luxury should be revoked.  Prison is not a vacation but rather time to reflect on what the offender has done to break the law.  (163 words)

 

Quote #4:  Cell phones smuggled into jails are thought to have played an important roll in organizing both of Sweden’s most recent prison escapes, and one female guard was forced to resign after admitting that she had snuck a phone into one of the prisons.

This means that the prison is not keeping its employees honest and it is causing security breaches which could endanger other officers, employees and even other inmates not participating in the breaches.  When this guard smuggled in that cell phone, it could have easily been a knife which could have led to a serious injury or death of a correctional officer or inmate.  Not only would this have been disastrous, the government has to pay the medical bills of the injured costing the prison money.  One 22 year old prisoner, who is the leader of a criminal gang, was able to give orders behind bars.  “He was able to call freely and hand down orders to his accomplices outside the prison, where he was already serving a lengthy prison sentence.” said David Landes of The Local, Sweden’s News in English.   These situations could be avoided if the security is increased for guards when they enter prison grounds.  Routine checks of employee lockers and mandatory metal detector scans of each guard before they can interact with the prisoners would help prevent weapons or cell phones from getting in the hands of inmates.  With routine security checks, I think that guards would think twice before doing favors for inmates as far as smuggling.  (211 words)

 

Quote #5:  According to the newspaper, The Local who translated an article in Folkbladet, the vast majority of those held in Sweden's prisons and other secure units are smokers. Indeed, statistics show that almost 95% of prisoners smoke - compared to less than 20% of men in general. 

 

For guards to let an inmate go outside to smoke at a maximum security prison is not an easy task and it can be debated if this luxury should be permitted to a high risk criminal.  In recent reports, Sweden has considered a ban on smoking for these very reasons.  Smokers have health risks and if these prisoners do end up with lung cancer, the government will be footing the bill for treatment at a high price.  This means more money spent on an already tight budget, which could be prevented by placing a ban on smoking.  Sweden backs up their liberal prisons with claims that the treatment that the criminals receive is rehabilitating but having a lax policy on smoking in the prisons do not have anything to do with this process. I see no reason why smoking should continue in the Swedish prison system and specifically in the maximum security jails that house violent offenders. (157 words)

Quote #6:  With close to 5,000 inmates, Sweden’s 43 medium-security and 4 maximum security prisons are operating at capacity according to The New York Times writer Lizette Alvarez. 

With prisons full to the brim with inmates, overcrowding could end up a problem soon and with lax security procedures, this leaves the door open for inmate-on-inmate violence, injured guards, and contraband.  I think this also has made it easier for prisoners to escape as the guards will not have the best time keeping track of each inmate.  With the above mentioned security breaches plus the prisons at capacity and possibility of overcrowding in the future, a change is needed if the prison system wants to maintain a safe environment for all of its occupants.  Harsher sentences, stronger security and fewer privileges could cut the crime rate and slow the growth of the prison system by getting the message out that Sweden is serious about violent crimes and punishment.  I think more people would think twice before committing crimes if this were the case.  The money the prisons save by cutting privileges could go to build a new prison that would just house the life time criminals and extremely dangerous and violent offenders.  (173 words)

Quote #7:  Metal detectors are rare, conjugal visits routine and unlocked cell doors the norm states Mitchel P. Roth, the author of Prisons and prison systems a global encyclopedia.

Some high schools in Los Angeles have metal detectors that you have to pass through before entering the campus to protect students from guns, knives and other weapons.  Sweden’s prisons rarely use metal detectors which make it easy to smuggle in weapons to be used in killings behind the walls.  The prison essentially trusts the criminal not to have contraband.  Conjugal visits however are not a rare occurrence.  Inmates are allowed to request this visits with their spouse and our provided a small condo style home to spend this away time.  Another freedom allowed to these violent and undeserving criminals is unlocked cell doors.  Leaving the doors unlocked so inmates can come and go as they please is more like recess than what should be the life of a criminal sentenced to jail time.  The privileges mentioned above give the wrong message to the inmates and clearly leads to repeat offenders.  (151 words)

Quote #8:  In 2008, 69 escaped directly from Swedish prisons, 61 of whom escaped from open prisons that lack escape security according to Kriminalvården’s Basic Fact pamphlet. 

With poor security, it makes it easy for street smart criminals to plan an escape and merge back into society without serving their time.  Other inmates see this and I am gathering they follow the leader as there have been a lot of escapes during the last 6 years.  Since Sweden pride’s itself on helping the criminal get treatment during the prison stay, this is counter productive.  Sweden should try to build a better security plan and then they could house the criminals and keep them there with out the worries of them escaping.  Then they could focus on the rehabilitation in a safe environment.  The Swedes want to rehabilitate rather than punish because they think it works better but if they don’t have a security plan that keeps the prisoners behind bars, then they cannot reach their goal with the inmate.  It becomes a waste of time and money for the Swedish Government that is already making budget cuts.  (160 words)

Quote #9:  Swedish prisons are handling more dangerous inmates from Eastern Europe, more people doing time for drug crimes and a record number of prisoners serving life sentences according to The National Center for Policy Analysis. 

This means criminals from other countries are committing crimes in Sweden and serving time there.  This is costly and if they are more dangerous than the breed of criminal already in the Swedish justice system then the more violent criminals are influencing the less violent criminals and could possibly create a more sophisticated criminal.  This new breed of criminal will be nothing like what the guards have seen and in combination with the liberal prison system, it could mean more escapes and a failed justice system.  If the punishment is not real and certain, then the prisons will be full of repeat offenders and escapees.  That is, if they are lucky enough to recapture them after the escape.  Creating a separate system for the more violent and clever criminals along with a separate prison would be ideal.  This would prevent minor offenders from using prison as a criminal college.  Separation of inmates is key to if Sweden wants to be taken serious by other countries and criminals as far as their criminal justice system.  (174 words)

Quote #10:  Decades in which Sweden had pioneered rehabilitation rather than punishment and long-term incarceration are now under scrutiny. - Fox, Lionel W.

With the freedoms mentioned above, breaking of prison rules and subsequent prison breaks, critics and citizens are vocalizing their concerns about the escapes as they are afraid of the criminals.  After several years of escapes, I am sure critics are wondering why changes have not been made.  Not making immediate changes after prison escapes gives the impression that there is no concern.  When prisoners escape they go back into society and are dangerous so I am sure citizens became angry and started speaking to politicians about changes and reform in the Swedish prison system.  If it takes that long to even think about reform, I wonder how long it will take to implement stricter policies and create a safer prison for guards and inmates.  Rather than letting the inmates serve shorter sentences, they should have them serve the whole term, frill- free and implement strict rules and structure to guide the prisoner back into society.  (155 words)