Calls for Family Departments in Swedish Prisons Amid Rising Female Inmate Numbers and Staff Concerns

The Justitieombudsmannen (JO) has urged the Swedish Prison and Probation Service (Kriminalvården) to establish family departments within prisons to better support incarcerated mothers and their children. Currently, about 10 to 20 children, mostly under two years of age, accompany their mothers in women's prisons each year. However, JO criticizes Kriminalvården for inadequate accommodation and handling of these families, as the current prison environment does not sufficiently meet their needs. Experts emphasize the importance of maintaining the mother-child attachment, which benefits child development, and advocate for dedicated family units akin to those in the UK, Germany, and the US. Despite projections that the female prisoner population may quadruple from 500 today to 2,000 by 2034 due to stricter sentencing policies, Kriminalvården has not initiated plans for family departments, citing space constraints and safety concerns.

Meanwhile, internal staff concerns continue to surface. Robert, a 47-year-old prison officer at Kriminalvården, has sounded the alarm regarding deteriorating prison conditions. He warns that the issues of untrained staff, dangerous incidents, and unhealthy relationships within prisons are far worse than publicly acknowledged. He criticizes his superiors for inadequate management and highlights a culture of silence around violence and other breaches within correctional facilities. Robert fears that the public does not grasp the seriousness of these challenges, underscoring systemic problems that extend beyond inmate welfare to staff safety and institutional transparency.

Together, these developments spotlight pressing challenges in Sweden's prison management—from protecting vulnerable families inside prisons to addressing staff safety and operational failures—at a time when prison populations are expected to grow significantly.