Sweden to Rent Estonian Prison Cells Amid Overcrowding Concerns

Sweden to Rent Estonian Prison Cells Amid Overcrowding Concerns
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Sweden plans to rent up to 600 prison places in Estonia to ease its overcrowded prisons, marking a shift away from its long-held focus on rehabilitation, The Guardian reported. The agreement, signed in June, comes as the centre-right government tackles rising gang violence and a projected surge in the prison population, which could grow from 7,800 to 41,000 by 2034 under stricter sentencing.

Critics warn Sweden is adopting US-style mass incarceration policies, including jailing children as young as 15 for over a decade and plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 14. Next year, new youth prisons will replace existing care homes.

Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer called the Estonia deal vital for easing the “crisis” in Swedish prisons, though some experts say it will have limited impact. Researchers and community leaders argue the government’s punitive approach risks neglecting rehabilitation and failing vulnerable youth exploited by gangs.