Swedish prisons have a reputation around the world for being liberal and modern. But are the country’s prisons too soft? The head of Sweden’s prison and probation service, Nils Oberg, said in November 2013 that four Swedish prisons will close because of an “out of the ordinary” drop in the number of prisoners. There has been no fall in crime rates, but, between 2011 and 2012, there was a 6% drop in the number of people in Sweden’s prisons, now a little over 4,500. Oberg said he was confused by the drop in numbers, but hoped that the reason was to do with how his prisons are managed. “We certainly hope that the efforts we put into rehabilitation and into stopping criminals from reoffending has made a difference,” he said.
What does Oberg hope is the reason for the reduction in the number of prisoners in Sweden?
Fewer criminals commit crimes again due to rehabilitation practices Efforts to change the management team in prisons A fall in crime rates A new law that he passe