Closing all women's prisons (proposed)
2014–2019
Verified 21 May 2026 · Data dated 21 May 2026
Fresh · 8d ago
In 2014 the Swedish Prison and Probation Service openly considered phasing out women's prisons entirely on the grounds that the population was too small and too low-risk to justify a separate carceral infrastructure.
Outcomes
The proposal was paused after political backlash and a subsequent rise in serious offending. As of 2024 Sweden retains six women's prisons but consolidation is still discussed.
Sources
Last verified 21 May 2026. This is editorial; we hand-curate this section. Spotted an error? Submit a correction.