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'Send more foreign prisoners back home'

The Local Sweden
The Local Sweden - [email protected]
'Send more foreign prisoners back home'

Sweden should let more foreign offenders serve their prison sentences in their home countries, with a government appointed inquiry stating it would be the humane thing to do.

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At present, Sweden sends between 40 and 60 foreign citizens (not including the Nordic countries) to serve their sentences at home every year.

Swedes returned to Sweden to serve sentences for crimes committed abroad average six to seven cases annually, not counting offences in the other Nordic countries.

Karin Kussak headed the inquiry and delivered the final report to the Justice Minister Beatrice Ask on Thursday.

She has suggested that Sweden should make more non-Swedish criminals serve out their time in detention facilities in their countries of origin.

"It would be more humane," Kussak said at a press conference.

The full report also looked at Swedes convicted of crimes abroad and where they should serve their prison sentence.

"It is more humane to receive your punishment in your home country, where, for example, the prisoner's family can visit them," Kussak said.

Currently, the justice ministries in Sweden and the relevant country will communicate about overlapping cases.

"It's a very laborious and slow process. With a new law, relevant authorities could communicate directly," said Kussak.

TT/The Local/at

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