Several legal changes in recent years have meant that life sentences in Sweden have risen sharply. In October 2025, there were 262 people serving life sentences in Sweden - an increase of over 65 percent since 2021.
At the same time, the average age of those who start serving life sentences is falling, which can be partly explained by the fact that people aged 18 to 20 have been eligible for life imprisonment since 2022. According to preliminary figures, the average age was 27 in 2025 (January–November), compared to 35 in 2023.
67 at Kumla
Sweden's largest prison, Kumla, currently houses 67 people serving life sentences. The rejuvenation is clearly visible here, even among those serving fixed-term sentences, says prison director Jacques Mwepu.
If you come to Kumla, you have been sentenced to a long sentence, and there are many more young people than we have seen before.
Younger inmates are generally more difficult to handle.
They are not mature and have difficulty following instructions from staff. It is more difficult and much more resource-intensive. And knowing that you have such a long time ahead of you in the institution, receptivity may not be at the highest level.
It is difficult to say anything general about how to set up a plan in prison for an 18-year-old; everything depends on the individual's circumstances and must be personalized.
But it is during this time that you are shaped, grow and develop as a person. Doing that in an institution is not optimal, with influences from others who have made a career of crime and adopted it as a lifestyle.
Everyone shares a room.
The lack of space within the Prison and Probation Service means that even prisoners serving life sentences have to share rooms, and they do not have the same opportunities to separate people as before, says Jacques Mwepu.
He is concerned about how the strained situation could affect rehabilitation opportunities, especially for young people.
We want to influence them, but behavioral change requires frequent interactions between staff and inmates. It becomes more difficult when there are so many of them.
Overall, the situation is difficult to manage, he says.
If this continues, it will only become more difficult to work on receptivity, treatment and relapse prevention. Despite this, relapse prevention is our top priority, but we need to sharpen our focus on individualizing efforts.
Life sentences pending on October 1 each year:
2025: 262
2024: 224
2023: 202
2022: 189
2021: 157
Average age of people who started a life sentence:
2025 (January–November): 27
2024: 31
2023: 35
2022: 34
2021: 34
Age distribution of people serving life sentences at Kumla, by year of birth:
1950–1959: 1
1960–1969: 3
1970–1979: 6
1980–1989: 16
1990–1995: 11
1995–1999: 9
2000–2003: 12
2004–2005: 8
2006: 1
Source: Prison and Probation Service, Kumla Prison
