The Prison and Probation Service must try to fulfill the task of finding places for everyone who is sentenced and detained.
The biggest difference is that the times are increasing, that one is sentenced to longer penalties, says Torbjörn Nyberg, head of the capacity unit at the Prison and Probation Service.
Already now, almost all rooms in the country's institutions are double-occupied and visiting rooms are converted into cells. While waiting for new places to be ready, the Prison and Probation Service is looking for temporary alternatives. This can involve triple occupancy, placing prisoners abroad, converting healthcare facilities or setting up barracks within the institution's area.
With the congestion, the risk of conflicts also increases.
The facility is otherwise adapted for half the number of inmates, then it gets crowded to have meal places to sit and eat, communal areas, toilet and shower facilities. It gets congested and risks becoming friction, says Nyberg.
