The Swedish government has unveiled a sweeping criminal justice reform package, tabling a proposition for dedicated youth prisons (Prop 2025/26:132), announcing strengthened child protection against sexual crimes, and confirming 400 new prison places at Kristianstad Vä. Published on February 19–20, the trio of measures represents the most aggressive justice policy push of the 2025/26 parliamentary session and signals the Tidö Agreement coalition's determination to make law and order a centrepiece of its pre-election agenda.
Youth Prisons: A Paradigm Shift
The most structurally significant element is Proposition 2025/26:132, titled "Frihetsberövande påföljder för barn och unga" (Custodial Sentences for Children and Young People). The proposal would create a new category of dedicated youth prisons, replacing the current system where minors convicted of serious crimes serve sentences in secure youth care homes operated by the National Board of Institutional Care (Statens institutionsstyrelse, SiS). Under the new regime, the Prison and Probation Service (Kriminalvården) would operate purpose-built facilities for juvenile offenders, reflecting the government's view that existing youth care homes lack the security and structure required for serious young offenders.
The shift has been signposted since the 2024 budget proposition, which first allocated planning funds for youth prisons. Parliamentary debates throughout 2025 have seen Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer defend the approach against opposition criticism that it risks criminalising vulnerable young people rather than rehabilitating them. The Social Democrats and the Left Party have argued that Sweden's historically rehabilitative approach to juvenile justice is being abandoned in favour of a punitive model more closely resembling systems in Denmark and the Netherlands.
Child Protection Strengthened
The second pillar of the reform package addresses sexual crimes against children. The government's press release of February 20 outlines additional measures to strengthen children's protection against sexual offences, building on earlier legislative changes that lowered the age threshold for certain child exploitation offences and introduced stricter penalties. While the full legislative text has yet to be presented to the Riksdag, the announcement signals that the government intends to bring a specific proposition before the summer recess, potentially including expanded mandatory reporting requirements, enhanced victim support services, and tighter supervision of convicted offenders.
The timing is politically significant: high-profile cases of online child exploitation have dominated Swedish media in recent months, and polling consistently shows that child safety ranks among voters' top concerns. All eight parliamentary parties have expressed support for stronger protections, though they differ on the precise mechanisms and the balance between prevention and punishment.
Prison Expansion at Kristianstad
The third element — 400 new prison places at Kristianstad Vä in Skåne — addresses a chronic capacity crisis in Sweden's prison system. Kriminalvården has warned repeatedly that overcrowding has reached critical levels, with occupancy rates exceeding 100 percent in several facilities. The Kristianstad expansion is part of a broader national prison-building programme that the government has described as the largest in modern Swedish history. Previous announcements have included new facilities in Hagfors (Värmland) and expansions at existing sites across the country.
Opposition critics have pointed out that the expansion programme addresses symptoms rather than causes, arguing that the government's reliance on longer sentences and reduced early-release provisions — including raising the parole eligibility from two-thirds to three-quarters of the sentence for those serving six years or more — will only intensify demand for prison capacity. The government counters that both prevention and capacity are necessary, and that the prison-building programme creates construction jobs and economic activity in regional communities.
Political Context
The justice reform package arrives amid a broader legislative blitz. On the same day, the government also tabled propositions on a national housing registry for tenant-owned apartments, a new emergency food supply law, and an extra budget for Ukraine support and vaccine preparedness (Prop 2025/26:143). The sheer volume of legislative output — combined with Vice Prime Minister Ebba Busch's simultaneous appearance at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi — suggests a government seeking to demonstrate maximum policy delivery ahead of the September 2026 general election.
By the Numbers
- Prop 2025/26:132 — Youth prison proposition tabled February 19
- 400 — New prison places announced at Kristianstad Vä
- 100%+ — Current occupancy rate in several Swedish prisons
- ¾ — Proposed parole threshold (up from ⅔) for sentences of 6+ years
- 8 — All parliamentary parties support stronger child protection, though mechanisms differ
- September 2026 — General election provides the political deadline
What to Watch
- Committee Processing: Prop 2025/26:132 will be referred to the Justice Committee (Justitieutskottet) for scrutiny — watch for committee report timing and potential reservations from opposition parties
- Child Protection Proposition: The full legislative text is expected before the summer recess — details on mandatory reporting and offender supervision will be key
- Prison Construction Timeline: The Kristianstad facility's construction schedule and operational date will test the government's delivery capacity
- Opposition Strategy: The Social Democrats must decide whether to oppose the youth prison model outright or seek amendments — their position will shape the election debate
- Budget Debate: The extra budget proposition (Prop 2025/26:143) for Ukraine support is scheduled for Riksdag debate on March 11