Swedish Prison Research Articles

What contributes to fewer cases of recidivism? Treatment, education, and work in prison

Since the turn of the millennium, levels of recidivism following a prison term have declined in Sweden. The composition of the inmate population has changed, which provides a partial explanation. This study examines whether prison service interventions, such as the provision of treatment, education, and work, might have contributed to the decline in recidivism. The study sample comprises women and men who were released from Swedish prisons between 2012 and 2015. Data have been collected from the Prison and Probation Service registers and the Convictions Register. The analysis employs propensity score matching and regression analysis. The results show that the interventions examined have a positive effect on reducing recidivism, but that their explanatory power is limited.

Work like any other but like no other: Labour rights for working prisoners in Sweden

In Sweden there is no minimum wage legislation. Wages for 88% of workers are governed by collective agreement, and for the remainder, they are set by individual employment contracts. The lowest wage levels in collective agreements for adults were about SEK 19,000 in 2022, and the median wage was about SEK 34,200, which corresponds to SEK 119 and SEK 214 per hour, respectively. Wages not set by collective agreement or employment contract are supposed to be ‘reasonable’. A reasonable wage is a wage in line with the level laid down in the sectoral collective agreement. Incarcerated workers earn SEK 13 an hour in Sweden. They are not categorised as workers, however, and therefore are not covered by labour law or collective agreements. But the products of their work – goods and services – are either sold on the open market or used for the benefit of the Swedish Agency for Prisons and the Probation Service, as the services or goods do not have to be bought on the open market. Such low pay would be considered unreasonable for any other work. However, work has been a central aspect of serving time in Swedish prisons for a very long time. Over time, such work has been motivated and governed by different principles and aims, such as the work-first principle, meaning, i.e., that work is both a societal duty and a right, and the aim of disciplining the incarcerated workers for internal and external purposes (resocialisation). The rehabilitative aspect of work has been emphasised. Proposals to raise the pay level have been rejected as being too expensive and counteracting the rehabilitative function of serving time in prison. This article seeks to explain the perceived rationale behind this state of affairs and to bring a human rights perspective into the picture and reflect on its implications.

The prevalence of substance use disorders among people in Norwegian, Danish and Swedish prisons: A multi-national cohort study, 2010-19.

We estimated the prevalence of substance use disorders (SUDs) in the Norwegian, Danish and Swedish prison populations and compared the prevalence of SUDs in the national prison populations with country-specific general population prevalence rates. A multi-national cohort study using data from the National Prison Registries linked to the National Patient Registries in Norway, Denmark and Sweden. We used data from the PriSUD-Nordic study, including national prison populations aged 19 years and older in Norway (2010-19), Denmark (2010-18) and Sweden (2010-13). A total of 119 507 Individuals (108 971 men and 10 536 women) contributing to 191 549 incarcerations were included in the study (Norway: 45432 men; 5429 women, Denmark: 42 162 men; 3370 women, Sweden: 21 377 men; 1737 women). We calculated a study prevalence and prevalence at entry to prison for all types of SUDs before imprisonment each consecutive year of observation in each prison population. We also extracted country-specific 1-year prevalence rates from the Global Burden of Diseases database to calculate comparative national prevalence ratios. The study prevalence of any SUD was approximately 40% [Norway: 44.0%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 43.6-44.5%; Denmark: 39.9%, CI = 39.5-40.4%; Sweden: 39.1%, CI = 38.4-39.7%] in all three countries. Women had a significantly higher study prevalence of any SUD compared with men (Norway: 55.8 versus 42.6%, P < 0.001; Denmark 43.1 versus 39.7%, P = 0.004; Sweden: 51.7 versus 38.0%, P < 0.001). Prevalence estimates were higher for SUDs among people in prison than in the general population. We observed an increasing proportion of people with SUDs entering prison in Norway (P = 0.003), while the proportion was more stable in Denmark and Sweden. Substance use disorders (SUDs) appear to be highly prevalent among the Scandinavian prison populations compared with the general population, especially among women. In Norway, there was a relative increase in SUDs from 2010 to 2019.

Looping Disruption: A Relational Mechanism Enhancing Treatment Readiness among Individuals Convicted of Sexual Offending?

Many convicted individuals do not enter or complete treatment programs in prisons, which limits effective rehabilitation and prevention of recidivism. Treatment readiness is suggested to be an important construct when addressing this problem. Nevertheless, the underlying processes (e.g., how readiness factors interact) are not well studied, and even less is known regarding readiness in the sub-population of individuals convicted of sexual offenses. This paper aims to open up the "black box" and explore psychosocial and context-specific processes behind treatment readiness from the vantage point of the individuals' lived experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 adult men convicted of sexual offenses in Swedish prisons, treatment participants (N = 13) as well as non-participants (N = 6). The thematic analysis illustrates readiness obstacles in terms of unintended antagonistic forces in the correctional system operating in the opposite direction of rehabilitative objectives. Nonetheless, a hypothesized relational mechanism, looping disruption, initiated by a non-punitive and supportive response (from prison staff, therapists, close ones, or inmates) to the convicted individual's negative behaviors or emotions, appeared to reverse such negative, punitive loops, contributing to the mobilization of treatment readiness. Implications for theory, policy, and practice are discussed.

Determining the status of prisoners of war in customary law and legislation of the Muscovite kingdom of the 15th-early 18th centuries

The article is devoted to highlighting the processes of formation of the specifics of the status of captives according to the norms of customary law and legislation of the Muscovy kingdom (Moscow state) during the 15th - early 18th centuries. The relevance of addressing these issues is due to the fact that the customs and views developed at that time, as well as the norms of positive law, still determine the peculiarities of the attitude of Russians towards prisoners, which is largely determined by the specifics of the national mentality and legal tradition.&#x0D; It is shown that the attitude towards captured foreigners, the legal basis of their status in the Muscovite Empire were laid down in the course of the formation and development of customary law, which was formed long before the period considered in this article. It is emphasized that since in the 15th - at the beginning of the 18th century. before there was a division into combatants and non­combatants, the terms "prisoners" and "captives" meant both captured soldiers of the enemy army and representatives of the civilian population who were deprived of personal freedom and found themselves under the complete power of the enemy. Captives were divided into "state” and "private”, although specific subgroups can be identified within these groups depending on the peculiarities of their legal status.&#x0D; The status of prisoners in the Muscovite Empire was determined primarily by customary law, although over time, acts of legislation appeared that contained norms aimed at regulating the legal status of prisoners. A vivid example of such legislation is the Senate decree of November 27, 1717 "On the prohibition of baptizing and marrying Swedish prisoners of war.”&#x0D; It is noted that a valuable source for elucidating the complex of customs regarding the treatment of captives can be considered the works of European diplomats, merchants, and soldiers who had been in the Moscow state for a long time and were well acquainted with local orders. They contain interesting information on ethnopsychology, the history of diplomacy, as well as the history of law. The value of this historical source is enhanced by the fact that the observations, facts and considerations given in it are confirmed by other sources. A conclusion was made about a certain continuity in the national character of the population of modern Russia, customs that, even now, under the conditions of the spread of legal nihilism in Russian society, largely regulate the behavior and activities of citizens of the Russian Federation, in particular, military personnel, mercenaries of private military companies, etc.

Pinpointing change in virtual reality assisted treatment for violent offenders: a pilot study of Virtual Reality Aggression Prevention Training (VRAPT).

Preventing relapse into violence and its destructive consequences among persistent re-offenders is a primary concern in forensic settings. The Risk-Need-Responsivity framework models the best current practice for offender treatment, focused on building skills and changing pro-criminal cognitions. However, treatment effects are often modest, and the forensic context can obstruct the delivery of interventions. Developing treatments for offenders should focus on the best method of delivery to make "what works work." Virtual reality (VR)-assisted treatments such as Virtual Reality Aggression Prevention Training (VRAPT) are a new and innovative approach to offender treatment. This pilot study followed 14 male violent offenders who participated in VRAPT in a Swedish prison context and measured changes from pre-treatment to post-treatment and 3-month follow-up in targeted aggression, emotion regulation, and anger. It also investigated potential impact factors (pro-criminal cognitions, externalizing behaviors, psychosocial background, and childhood adverse experiences). In Bayesian linear mixed effects models, participants showed a high probability of change from pre-treatment to post-treatment and to follow-up on all outcome measures. All outcome measures demonstrated a low probability of change from post-treatment to follow-up. Analysis of reliable change showed that participants' results ranged from recovery to deterioration. We discuss the implications of the study for VRAPT's impact on the target group, those who might benefit from the approach, and suggested foci for future studies in the field of VR-assisted offender treatment. The study was preregistered at the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number registry (https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN14916410).

Halle – Stockholm – Tobolsk and Back, Stronger Than Ever.

The article examines Curt Friedrich von Wreech’s book Wahrhafftige und umständliche Historie (1725/28) as a document of a particular situation of religious contact that is inaugurated by military conflict. It analyzes the repercussing dynamics displayed by Pietist ideas being imported to Russian Siberia by Swedish Prisoners of War during the Great Nordic War (1700–1721), and being brought back to Sweden after the release of the prisoners in 1721. Pietism in Siberia consolidated by contact with Orthodox Christians, Muslim Tartars and ‘pagan’ religious traditions as practiced by the Khanty. Via a long-distance transmission of religious ideas and practices, Pietism in Sweden gained momentum that evoked severe countermeasures by the Orthodox Lutheran church. The case of Carolean Pietism also shows that a predominant religious tradition (in this case the Lutheran Orthodoxy of Sweden’s state religion) might provide its heterodox counterpart with formal structures that might subversively be used as means of surviving, consolidation and even spreading.

Kriminalvården och Barnkonventionen

The Swedish Prison and Probation Service's and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Children belonging to incarcerated parents are typically a marginalised group within society who are often devoid of efficient support. This article discusses the realisation of children’s rights within the Swedish Prison and Probation Services based on the perspectives of staff members. This qualitative study has employed data collection through thematic interviews with staff at five institutions. In this article, the following four themes have been discussed: the difference in children’s rights based on a parent’s gender, the rights of a child to contact their incarcerated parent, the participation of a child within the Swedish Prison and Probation Services, and the staff's thoughts on the Prison Service's child rights perspective, current and future. The results display traditional norms continue to steer work within the Swedish Prison and Probation Services, partly creating differences in how children’s rights are realised, resulting in largely unseen parenting from fathers. There exist good examples of such realisations; however, a child’s perspective is largely influenced by staff commitment and individual interests. In implementing the CRC, respondents suggested an accompaniment of children placed in central units with their parents to provide the necessary support from educated staff. Furthermore, there is an additional desire for improved cooperation with social services.

The changing arguments for assigning non-organised volunteers as assistant supervisors in the Swedish prison and probation service

The changing arguments for assigning non-organised volunteers as assistant supervisors in the Swedish prison and probation service

The Autumn Ghost. How the Battle Against a Polio Epidemic Revolutionized Modern Medical Care

The Autumn Ghost. How the Battle Against a Polio Epidemic Revolutionized Modern Medical Care

Participating in a parenting intervention in prison, perceptions from incarcerated fathers and mothers-A convergent mixed-methods study.

Children of incarcerated parents run a high risk of ill-health and future delinquency, whereas positive parenting can support children's healthy development. The For Our Children's Sake (FOCS) parenting intervention for parents in prison was evaluated as a controlled trial during 2019-2021 within The Swedish Prison and Probation Service (SPPS). This study reports on the process evaluation and aimed to describe how parents perceived their participation and aspects that influenced implementation of the FOCS intervention. This convergent mixed-methods study (QUAL + quan) included qualitative interview data after participation in the FOCS intervention group (12 parents), and quantitative questionnaire data from intervention and control groups (46 parents). Qualitative data were analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis and quantitative data using descriptive and non-parametric statistics. An integrated synthesis of the qualitative and quantitative results showed three joint concepts that provided an extended understanding of the importance of a child and parent focused intervention available to parents in prison, where FOCS was perceived as the only place where inmates could openly reflect, and express sensitive feelings and thoughts related to the children and being a parent. Also, that the SPPS as an organisation entails partly unsupportive organisational norms with irregular individual staff engagement, which made FOCS invisible in prisons, and the importance of engagement and motivation from all participants and group leaders in the group was essential for a successful FOCS group. This study showed that availability of a child and parent focused intervention in prison is perceived as very important, and at the same time dependent on a trustful relationship in the group to be rewarding to the participants, where organisational norms within the SPSS need amendments for successful implementation of FOCS. These findings can guide further implementation of similar interventions in prison.

Swedish prison officers’ perceptions of management and support: key predictors and subgroups

ABSTRACT With increasing numbers of prisoners, research on Swedish prison officers’ perceptions of management and support at work is warranted. Previous studies have mainly used a variable-centered approach, identifying several individual and organizational factors that influence prison staff's evaluation of their job. The present study adopted a person-centered approach, exploring the heterogeneity in a Swedish national sample of prison officers. Based on an extensive survey of the quality of prison job, 10 key predictors for overall prison regime evaluation were identified. Following latent class analysis, three distinct subgroups were discerned from the entire sample. Remarkably, a sizable subgroup with a relatively negative evaluation of the prison regime was observed. While most background covariates did not associate with the subgroup membership, prison officers who experienced violent or threatening incidents tended to report a negative evaluation of the prison regime. Intra-organizational social support, communication and loyalty are highlighted as key components of overall regime evaluation. Our findings suggest that enhancing collegial, management, and supervision support and communicative skills may increase prison officers’ job satisfaction. Beyond the organizational level of prisons, we also discussed the challenges that the Swedish prison system faces, along with the portrayal by social media of a violence-dominated environment.

Predicting Intimate Partner Violence Recidivism using the Swedish Prison and Probation Service’s Risk-Need-Responsivity Assessment (RNR-A)

Predicting Intimate Partner Violence Recidivism using the Swedish Prison and Probation Service’s Risk-Need-Responsivity Assessment (RNR-A)

Ph. J. von Strahlenberg und seine Karte der Grossen Tatarei (zwei Briefe Strahlenbergs an J.Ph. Breyne, 1723 und 1724)

This contribution introduces two letters sent by Ph.J. von Strahlenberg (1676–1747) from Stockholm to Danzig to the famous scholar and collector J.Ph. Breyne (1680– 1764), in 1723 and 1724. Their aim was to get support in locating funds for the production of a new map of the Russian Empire. It was supposed to surpass all previous ones, including earlier ones compiled by Strahlenberg himself, in terms of accuracy and completeness of information, especially in relation to the vast territories in the east. The data was collected by Strahlenberg and his co-author J.A. Matern during their stay in Siberia (Tobolsk) as Swedish prisoners of war. The former happened to take part in the expedition of D.G. Messerschmidt, who in turn allowed him to make the acquaintance of J.Ph. Breyne. The letters contain important information about the initial stages of work on the map, and especially about Strahlenberg’s attempts to raise money for it by announcing a subscription. As to Breyne, Strahlenberg counted on his authority among Europe‘s educated elite. The letters are preserved in the Gotha Research Library (Germany) and are published here for the first time. The presentation of the letters themselves is preceded by an introduction containing a survey of Strahlenberg’s cartographic activities. Furthermore, several documents preserved in the St. Petersburg Branch of the Archives of the Russian Academy of Sciences have been used.

The risk–gang nexus in Sweden: Penal layering and the uneven topography of penal change

This article maps the emergence of a risk–gang nexus in the Swedish correctional field. Using the concept of penal layering, the article analyses the configuration of risk-based practices to manage gang affiliates in the context of Swedish prison and probation services. By introducing the notion interludes of penal layering, this article stresses the synchronic/diachronic opposition in penal change processes and furthers ongoing discussions of the variegated, braided, and uneven patterns of penal change in and beyond Nordic penal institutions. Drawing on interviews with probation officers, prison staff, and other professionals working with gangs in Sweden, the study finds that new rules, practices, decisional hierarchies, and actors have been layered on top of or alongside existing institutional arrangements to manage gang affiliates. This penal layer enforces punitive conditions for incarcerated gang affiliates and creates tensions, agonism, and contradictions between the coexisting and multiple logics of rehabilitation, punishment, and risk in the penal field.

The Health Effects of Prison

This paper studies the health effects of Swedish prison reforms that held sentences constant but increased the share of time inmates had to serve. The increased time served did not harm post-release health and actually reduced mortality risk. We find especially large decreases in mortality for offenders not previously incarcerated, younger offenders, and those more attached to the labor market. Risk of suicide and circulatory death fell for inmates with mental health problems and older inmates, respectively. In-prison health care utilization and program participation increased with time served, suggesting health care treatment and services as the key mechanism for mortality declines. (JEL I12, I18, K42)

Crime-Specific Recidivism in Criminal Justice Clients with Substance Use-A Cohort Study.

Criminal recidivism is a major global concern. There is a well-known association between substance use disorders and offending. Yet, little is known about crime-specific recidivism. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between specific substance use and crime-specific recidivism. The study is based on 4207 Swedish prison clients with substance use assessed with Addiction Severity Index interviews between 2001 and 2006. Clients were followed for an average of 2.7 years. Risk factors for criminal recidivism were assessed with the Cox regression analysis. Sixty-eight percent of the clients returned to the criminal justice system. Apart from well-known risk factors such as male gender and young age, amphetamine, injection drug use, prior prosecution for violent and property crime, as well as homelessness and psychiatric problems, were risk factors for criminal recidivism. Sedatives and cannabis were, in this setting, negative risk factors for general recidivism. Age, heroin and injection drug use elevated the risks of recidivism to property and drug crime. Alcohol was associated with violent recidivism. When analysing different categories of crime separately, risk factors differed substantially. This further highlights the need for crime-specific research. Identifying crime-specific risk factors should be an important part of improving rehabilitation into society after imprisonment and hopefully decrease recidivism.

Associations between prisons and recidivism: A nationwide longitudinal study.

ObjectivesTo examine differences in recidivism rates between different prisons using two designs—between-individual and within-individual—to account for confounding factors.MethodsWe examined recidivism rates among 37,891 individuals released from 44 Swedish prisons in three security levels, and who were followed from 2006 to 2013. We used longitudinal data from nationwide registers, including all convictions from district courts. First, we applied a between-individual design (Cox proportional hazards regression), comparing reconviction rates between individuals released from prisons within the same security level, while adjusting for a range of individual-level covariates. Second, we applied a within-individual design (stratified Cox proportional hazards regression), comparing rates of reconviction within the same individuals, i.e., we compared rates after release from one prison to the rates in the same individual after release from another prison, thus adjusting for all time-invariant confounders within each individual (e.g. genetics and early environment). We also adjusted for a range of time-varying individual-level covariates.ResultsResults showed differences in the hazard of recidivism between different prisons in between-individual analyses, with hazards ranging from 1.22 (1.05–1.43) to 4.99 (2.44–10.21). Results from within-individual analyses, which further adjusted for all time-invariant confounders, showed minimal differences between prisons, with hazards ranging from 0.95 (0.87–1.05) to 1.05 (0.95–1.16). Only small differences were found when violent and non-violent crimes were analyzed separately.ConclusionsThe study highlights the importance of research designs that more fully adjust for individual-level confounding factors to avoid over-interpretation of the variability in comparisons across prisons.

Evaluation of the Predictive Validity of a Risk-Need-Responsivity Assessment Tool (RNR-A) in the Swedish Prison and Probation Service

To appraise the “real-world” implementation of the risk principle, this study examined the predictive validity of a Risk-Need-Responsivity assessment in the Swedish Prison and Probation Service. Reconviction rates at 24 months follow-up in a cohort of 2,442 offenders were used to assess calibration and discrimination indices. Results indicated acceptable predictive accuracy (AUC = .68–.74), with scope for improvement among young adult offenders. The tool's utility was supported foremost by its ability to screen out low-risk offenders, while over-prediction of recidivism among medium- and high-risk offenders calls for more comprehensive assessment to inform the effective planning of rehabilitative service intensity.

Educator and staff perspectives on a rights-based sex education for young men in jail and prison in Sweden

ABSTRACT Young men in jail and prison are vulnerable regarding sexual health and the fulfilment of their sexual rights. As a response to this, the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU) has been providing sex education to young, incarcerated men, via a project initiated by and in cooperation with the Swedish Prison and Probation Services (SPPS). This article is a qualitative exploration of how RFSU educators experienced their work, and of how staff within SPPS experienced the initiative. Eight RFSU educators, and six persons working within SPPS were interviewed, and a thematic analysis was conducted. Overall, the experiences described by RFSU educators and by SPPS staff were similar, they regarded sex education sensitive to what young men wanted to discuss as valuable and the project feasible. Future improvement areas include strategies on how to handle toxic masculinity among young men in jail and prison. Additionally his, the different aims that the organisations RFSU and SPPS have, and how young men navigate them, must be acknowledged. Young men’s voices are missing in this study, and examining their experiences of the sex education in future work would be valuable.