Congestion in Swedish institutions and prisons continues to increase as more and more people are arrested and serve longer prison sentences.

Earlier this year, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service estimated that the need for more places will increase by 2,000 over the next ten years.

Now the authority announces that there are many indications that that forecast will crack.

- The forecast is still correct, but at the same time we have indications that it may need to be revised, says Chief of Staff Joakim Righammar, and refers to the various tightenings with extended prison sentences that are expected to come.

Due to the acute shortage of places, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service went into staff mode in September.

Today, a total of 4,920 places are available and of these, 4,916 are currently used. But the need for places for inmates looks different and the greatest shortage is in the wards with the highest security classification, class 1 and 2 for men.

In class 1, the highest degree of security, there is an occupancy rate of almost 120 per cent, well above the Swedish Prison and Probation Service's target of 90 per cent. 

The densification reaches the roof

New institutions are planned to be built, but as it takes several years until these are ready, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service has resorted to more and more emergency solutions.

Initially, bunk beds were set up in the inmates' cells and in November, 562 such emergency rooms were used.

But now the densification is starting to reach its limit, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service announces, and therefore barracks, or so-called modular houses, are being built to solve the situation.  

- The barracks are a much better solution than placing two people in each cell, says Tomas Kvarnrud, prison inspector at Rödjan in Mariestad. 

The modular houses are now being set up at record speed inside the fences at several different open institutions in Sweden.

In this way, another 187 places are created and it is welcomed by the prison guards.

At Rödjan in Mariestad, another 43 places will be available as early as February, thanks to the modular houses that will stand for at least 5 years.