In February, an armed release of a prison client took place in connection with a hospital visit in Norrköping. In April, a Sis client that the Swedish Prison and Probation Service transported to a dentist appointment in Södertälje was freed. The latter was arrested shortly thereafter by police.

'Clear escalation'

Now the Swedish Prison and Probation Service will increase security when transporting inmates to prevent releases when inmates are transported outside institutions.

"We see a clear escalation in the level of violence that our correctional officers on external duty have been confronted with in their work. We need to review our procedures and take measures to avoid something like this happening again," says Martin Holmgren, Director General of the Swedish Prison and Probation Service.

Sharpen your routines

The government also wants to see an improvement and has given the agency a government assignment to increase security in collaboration with the National Board of Institutions (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 service costumes in certain situations. There is also a lot to do about routines for doctor visits and dentist visits," says Joacim Trybom.

Today, between 300 and 500 transports are carried out with escorts. If transports with a similar risk picture as the two inmates who were most recently released were to be included, it would be around 5,000, according to Joacim Trybom.

Listen to Marcus Carlström, chairman of Seko at the Swedish Prison and Probation Service's national transport unit, talk in the clip about how the problems with prisoner transport have been exacerbated by the lack of space and staff at the Prison and Probation Service.

Javascript is disabled

Javascript must be turned on to play video

Learn more about browser support

"We have pointed out that there are risks." Hear Seko's chairman about the release. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT