Unveiling Secrets Beyond the Swedish Community in Estonia
In a bid to address severe overcrowding in Swedish prisons, the Swedish government has entered into an agreement with Estonia to lease up to 600 prison places. This move comes amid a sharp rise in violent crime and longer prison sentences, which have strained Swedish capacity [1][2][3].
Sweden, with one of the highest prison occupancy rates in the EU (112.6 in 2023), currently houses nearly 8,000 prisoners. However, due to gang violence and a political shift towards harsher sentencing, the number of prisoners is expected to surge, potentially reaching up to 41,000 in the next ten years [2][3].
By contrast, Estonia, with the lowest occupancy rate in the EU (56.2), has seen a significant decline in its prison population over the past decade, resulting in about half of its 3,000 prison places being vacant. This surplus has enabled Estonia to offer its prison spaces for rental under an intergovernmental agreement [1].
The lease agreement will see Swedish prisoners occupying similar cells in terms of size and amenities to other inmates, with access to communal areas equipped with TV, washing machines, and refrigerators. However, they will not have outdoor exercise privileges and will not be released in Estonia [1].
The prison in Tartu, Estonia's second-largest city, has 933 prison places, but only around 300 are currently occupied. The modern facility, which is considered financially and strategically unwise to demolish, will accommodate the leased cells [1].
For each additional prison place, Sweden will pay 8,500 euros per prisoner per month. This fee is reportedly cheaper than housing them domestically, according to Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer [2][3].
The first transfers from Sweden could take place in the fall of next year. This arrangement is seen as a strategic response from Sweden to manage its rising inmate numbers while Estonia utilizes excess capacity created through proactive crime prevention measures and legal reforms, creating a mutually beneficial "win-win" situation for both countries [1].
Estonia has placed greater emphasis on electronic monitoring and suspended sentences as part of its crime prevention strategies, which has contributed to the decline in its prison population [1]. This arrangement is expected to ease the tension in Swedish prisons, which is likely to remain tense due to the ongoing fight against the gangs in Sweden, a major contributor to the congestion in Swedish prisons [1].
[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63788311 [2] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sweden-to-rent-prison-cells-from-estonia-2022-04-11/ [3] https://www.thelocal.se/20220411/sweden-to-rent-prison-cells-from-estonia-to-alleviate-overcrowding/
- Due to the escalating tension within Swedish prisons, caused by gang violence and longer prison sentences, the Swedish government is seeking relief by leasing prison spaces from Estonia, a country with significantly lower occupancy rates and excess capacity.
- As a response to Estonia's proactive crime prevention strategies and legal reforms, resulting in a decline of its prison population, the Swedish government has entered into an agreement to lease up to 600 prison places, aiming to alleviate the overcrowding in Swedish prisons and reduce the strain on their general-news, politics, and crime-and-justice sectors.
