2026-06-032025/26:JuU38 · p.1JuUJustice
Criminalization of Escape
Criminalizing escape from prison and remand
What's at stake: The proposal means that someone who escapes or absconds from, for example, a prison or remand facility could be convicted of a crime, in addition to the administrative responses the Prison and Probation Service can already decide on. The question is whether criminal liability actually deters escapes and strengthens confidence that sentences are enforced, or whether the Prison and Probation Service's existing tools, such as postponed release and a stricter security class, are already sufficient.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The motion called for the proposal to criminalize escape to be rejected, while the committee held that criminalization is warranted to strengthen public protection and confidence in the criminal justice system.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee agrees with the government that it is fundamentally important for confidence in the criminal justice system that sentences are enforced safely and that people who are deprived of their liberty remain so, and notes that escapes and absconding still occur every year despite measures taken, showing that the current sanctions system is not sufficiently effective at shaping behaviour, and therefore backs the criminalization and rejects the motion.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (MP)
The reserving party (MP) considers it reasonable for society to react when someone deprived of their liberty does not serve their sentence but questions whether criminalization is the most effective route, pointing to the government inquiry's assessment that there are not sufficiently strong grounds for criminalization, that escapes are few, and that the Prison and Probation Service already has a functioning sanctions system, including postponing conditional release, transferring to a higher security class and withdrawing leave, and therefore wants that part of the bill rejected.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Yes 21/0/0/0 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | No | Yes 106/0/0/0 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| MP | No | No 0/18/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | Yes | Yes 23/0/0/1 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | Yes | Yes 16/0/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | Yes | Yes 19/0/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 66/0/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | Yes | Yes 70/0/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: high | derived |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag adopts a) the government's proposal for a law amending the Penal Code in those parts concerning chapter 17, sections 12, 12 a and 16 and chapter 21, sections 7 and 15, b) the government's proposal for a law amending the Act (1994:1811) on Disciplinary Liability within Total Defense, etc. Thereby the Riksdag approves proposition 2025/26:181 points 1 in this part and 3 and rejects motion 2025/26:4062 by Ulrika Westerlund et al. (MP).
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen antar a) regeringens förslag till lag om ändring i brottsbalken i de delar det avser 17 kap. 12, 12 a och 16 §§ samt 21 kap. 7 och 15 §§, b) regeringens förslag till lag om ändring i lagen (1994:1811) om disciplinansvar inom totalförsvaret, m.m. Därmed bifaller riksdagen proposition 2025/26:181 punkterna 1 i denna del och 3 samt avslår motion 2025/26:4062 av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP).
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag approved the government's proposal for strengthened public protection and clearer consequences for repeat offenses. The proposal aims to strengthen public protection in cases of serious and repeated crime, reduce the risk of repeat offenses, increase security for crime victims and tighten consequences for misconduct or repeat offenses. The legislative changes include, among other things, the following: - Escape from certain forms of detention, such as remand detention, prison and custody, is criminalized - Repeat offenses become more significant in sentencing - Opportunities to combine supervisory sentences with imprisonment are expanded - A person sentenced to supervisory sentencing or conditionally released shall be notified of restrictions on freedom of movement (residence restrictions) if he or she is involved in, or has a connection to a group that engages in serious crime and risks committing or otherwise participating in serious crime at a certain location or within a certain area - Residence restrictions can be imposed for the purpose of protecting the complainant - It is stated in law that involvement in, or connection to, a group that engages in serious crime shall be considered when deciding on furlough. The legislative changes enter into force on July 2, 2026.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to reject the proposal to criminalize escape from prisons and detention facilities. (MP) — Reservation 1
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan requires that sentences and sanctions be shaped carefully so that they actually lead to lower crime, and rejects harsher measures as a first-hand solution.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that sentences and sanctions be shaped carefully so that they actually lead to lower crime, and rejects harsher measures as a first-hand solution. That bears the counter-proposal's objection that criminalising escape lacks support in the inquiry and that existing sanctions are already effective. The committee's grounds—that the current sanctions system is not sufficiently action-directing—is precisely the effect question the plan means should decide the matter.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att straff och påföljder utformas noggrant så att de faktiskt leder till lägre brottslighet, och avvisar hårdare tag som förstahandslösning. Det bär motförslagets invändning att en kriminalisering av rymning saknar stöd i utredningen och att befintliga sanktioner redan är verkningsfulla. Utskottets skäl - att nuvarande sanktionssystem inte är tillräckligt handlingsdirigerande - är just den effektfråga planen menar ska avgöra saken.
- sanctions shall be effectivedecisive»Straff och andra påföljder för brott behöver vara noggrant« (party programme ↗)“Sentences and other sanctions for crime need to be carefully”
- effectiveness before harsher measures»För att få ner brottsligheten går det inte bara att vara hård mot de kriminella, det gäller att vara smartare än de kriminella.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To reduce crime it is not only about being hard on the criminal, it is about being smarter than the criminal.”
- against ineffective repression»Alltför ofta lyfts repression och hårdare tag upp som lösningar istället för att ta itu med problemen på allvar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Too often repression and harsher measures are raised as solutions rather than tackling the problems seriously.”
- safety as a goal»Ingen människa ska behöva utsättas för brott.« (party programme ↗)“No one should have to be subjected to crime.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires criminal policy based on evidence, efficiency and legal certainty, which speaks against a new criminalization that the investigation has assessed lacks sufficient grounds.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires criminal policy based on evidence, efficiency and legal certainty, which speaks against a new criminalization that the investigation has assessed lacks sufficient grounds. The plan wants instead to equip the penal system in public management and put focus on rehabilitation. The commitment to punishment proportional to the seriousness of offences pulls in the other direction, so the assessment is uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver en kriminalpolitik byggd på evidens, effektivitet och rättssäkerhet, vilket talar mot en ny kriminalisering som utredningen bedömt sakna tillräckliga skäl. Planen vill i stället rusta kriminalvården i offentlig regi och sätta fokus på rehabilitering. Åtagandet om straff i paritet med brottens allvar drar åt andra hållet, varför bedömningen är osäker.
- evidence-based criminal policydecisive»Kriminalpolitik byggd på evidens, effektivitet och rättssäkerhet.« (party programme ↗)“Criminal policy based on evidence, efficiency and legal certainty.”
- equipped penal system»Rustad kriminalvård i offentlig regi.« (party programme ↗)“Equipped penal system in public management.”
- rehabilitation before repression»Fokus på rehabilitering och återgång i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“Focus on rehabilitation and reintegration into society.”
- proportional punishment»Straff i paritet med brottens allvar.« (party programme ↗)“Punishment proportional to the seriousness of offences.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan's criminal justice line is rehabilitation and reintegration: probation as the first choice for lesser offences, conditional release as the main rule and criminal care with conditions to prevent reoffending.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's criminal justice line is rehabilitation and reintegration: probation as the first choice for lesser offences, conditional release as the main rule and criminal care with conditions to prevent reoffending. The counter-proposal questions whether a recriminalization is the most effective way when there are already functioning sanctions within the penal system, which is in line with the plan. The plan also requires that new legislation be carefully scrutinized.
Original (Swedish)
Planens kriminalpolitiska linje är rehabilitering och återanpassning: frivård som förstahandsval vid lindrigare brott, villkorlig frigivning som huvudregel och en kriminalvård med förutsättningar att förebygga återfall. Motförslaget ifrågasätter att en nykriminalisering är den mest effektiva vägen när det redan finns fungerande sanktioner inom verkställigheten, vilket ligger i linje med planen. Planen kräver också att ny lagstiftning prövas noggrant.
- rehabilitation ahead of punishmentdecisive»Kriminalvården ska ha goda förutsättningar att arbeta med rehabilitering – för att förebygga återfall och ge dömda en verklig chans till ett nytt liv.« (party programme ↗)“The criminal care system should have good conditions to work with rehabilitation – to prevent reoffending and give convicted persons a real chance at a new life.”
- probation as the first option»Frivårdspåföljder ska användas som förstahandsval vid lindrigare brott.« (party programme ↗)“Probation sentences should be used as the first choice for lesser offences.”
- conditional release as the main rule»Villkorlig frigivning ska vara huvudregel och utslussningsåtgärder ska främja återanpassning i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“Conditional release should be the main rule and reintegration measures should promote reintegration into society.”
- careful scrutiny of legislation»Vi vill säkerställa att all ny lagstiftning prövas noggrant utifrån rättssäkerhet och grundläggande fri- och rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“We want to ensure that all new legislation is carefully scrutinized in terms of legal certainty and fundamental freedoms and rights.”
The election manifesto establishes that Sweden needs more police, harsher sentences and better preventive measures, and that the fight against serious crime requires more resources to the entire criminal justice system and stricter sentences.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that Sweden needs more police, harsher sentences and better preventive measures, and that the fight against serious crime requires more resources to the entire criminal justice system and stricter sentences. The party programme wants criminal policy to both prevent and deter. The counter-proposal's objection to criminalizing escape goes against that line, which ensures that enforced sentences are actually carried out.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att Sverige behöver fler poliser, hårdare straff och bättre förebyggande insatser, och att kampen mot den grova brottsligheten kräver mer resurser till hela rättskedjan och strängare straff. Partiprogrammet vill att kriminalpolitiken både förebygger och avskräcker. Motförslagets invändning mot att kriminalisera rymning går emot den linjen, som gör att verkställda påföljder faktiskt fullföljs.
- harsher sentencesdecisive»Sverige behöver fler poliser, hårdare straff och bättre förebyggande insatser« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden needs more police, harsher sentences and better preventive measures”
- stricter sentences and strengthened criminal justice system»För att besegra dem krävs bättre insatser som förebygger nyrekrytering, mer resurser till polis, åklagare, domstolar och kriminalvården och strängare straff.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To defeat them requires better measures that prevent recruitment, more resources for police, prosecutors, courts and prisons and stricter sentences.”
- deterrent criminal policy»Kriminalpolitiken ska därför både förebygga och avskräcka från brott« (party programme ↗)“Criminal policy shall therefore both prevent and deter from crime”
The plan establishes that lifestyle criminals should be kept incarcerated and wants to strengthen the criminal law's responses, including by eliminating the nearly automatic release.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that lifestyle criminals should be kept incarcerated and wants to strengthen the criminal law's responses, including by eliminating the nearly automatic release. It explicitly opens for increasing sentences to mark the seriousness of an act. The counter-proposal's objection that current sanctions are sufficient and that criminalization should be avoided therefore receives no support in the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att livsstilskriminella ska hållas inlåsta och vill skärpa straffrättens reaktioner, bland annat genom att slopa den närmast automatiska frigivningen. Den öppnar uttryckligen för att skärpa straffsatser för att markera allvaret i en gärning. Motförslagets invändning att nuvarande sanktioner räcker och att kriminalisering bör undvikas får därför inte stöd i planen.
- incarcerated persons should remain incarcerateddecisive»Livsstilskriminella ska hållas inlåsta i stället för att släppas ut på våra gator.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lifestyle criminals should be kept incarcerated instead of being released onto our streets.”
- increased sentences»Vi vill avskaffa dagens mängdrabatt på brott, slopa den närmast automatiska frigivningen från fängelsestraff och skärpa straffen för bland annat vapenbrott, våldtäkt och utpressning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to abolish today's sentence discount for multiple crimes, eliminate the nearly automatic release from prison sentences, and increase sentences for, among other things, weapons crimes, rape, and extortion.”
- marking seriousness through increased sentences»Det kan även finnas särskilda brottstyper där det kan vara befogat att skärpa straffsatserna för att underlätta rehabilitering eller markera allvaret i den kränkning som brottet utgör.« (party programme ↗)“There may also be special types of crimes where it could be justified to increase sentences in order to facilitate rehabilitation or mark the seriousness of the violation that the crime constitutes.”
- more efficient justice system»Rättsväsendets förmåga och effektivitet behöver förbättras så att handläggningstiderna kortas, fler brott anmäls och klaras upp samt färre brottsanmälningar avskrivs.« (party programme ↗)“The justice system's capacity and efficiency need to be improved so that processing times are shortened, more crimes are reported and solved, and fewer crime reports are dismissed.”
The plan requires that respect for the laws be maintained with firmness, that offenders be prosecuted promptly and that all crimes be effectively and without exception countered.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that respect for the laws be maintained with firmness, that offenders be prosecuted promptly and that all crimes be effectively and without exception countered. To refrain from criminalization when imprisonment is not carried out contradicts the general prevention line that clear consequences should follow crimes. The election manifesto's line on harsher penalties points in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att respekten för lagarna upprätthålls med fasthet, att förövare skyndsamt lagförs och att alla brott effektivt och utan undantag beivras. Att avstå från kriminalisering när frihetsberövanden inte fullföljs strider mot den allmänpreventiva linjen om att på brott ska följa en tydlig reaktion. Valmanifestets straffskärpningslinje pekar åt samma håll.
- all crimes shall be countereddecisive»Alla brott ska effektivt och utan undantag beivras« (party programme ↗)“All crimes shall be effectively and without exception countered”
- prosecution with firmness»förövare av brott ska skyndsamt lagföras« (party programme ↗)“offenders of crimes shall be promptly prosecuted”
- general prevention»Allmänpreventionen, det vill säga att samhället gör klart att på brott följer straff, ska innefatta snabba och förutsägbara reaktioner som är förankrade i en human och tydlig lagstiftning.« (party programme ↗)“General prevention, that is, that society makes clear that punishment follows crime, shall include swift and predictable consequences that are rooted in humane and clear legislation.”
- increased penalties»Skärp straffet för vapenbrott till lägst fem års fängelse.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase the penalty for weapons crimes to at least five years' imprisonment.”
The plan's consistent line is that punishment shall match the crime's severity and that the convicted person shall actually serve time; it even wishes to limit furloughs and conditional release.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's consistent line is that punishment shall match the crime's severity and that the convicted person shall actually serve time; it even wishes to limit furloughs and conditional release. The counter-proposal wishes to refrain from criminalising escape and accept today's sanctions. The plan therefore speaks against the counter-proposal's demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planens genomgående linje är att straff ska motsvara brottets allvar och att den som dömts faktiskt ska sitta inne; den vill till och med begränsa permissioner och villkorlig frigivning. Motförslaget vill avstå från att kriminalisera rymning och nöja sig med dagens sanktioner. Planen talar därför emot motförslagets krav.
- toughened enforcement rulesdecisive»Begränsa möjligheterna till permission och villkorlig frigivning för gängkriminella« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Limit opportunities for furlough and conditional release for gang criminals”
- sentences shall be served»Kriminalvårdens uppgift är att verkställa de straff som utdöms« (party programme ↗)“The Correctional Service's task is to enforce the sentences passed”
- punishment shall reflect crime severity»straffen inte motsvarar brottets allvar riskerar det att undergräva förtroendet för rättsstaten.« (party programme ↗)“sentences do not match the crime's severity risks undermining confidence in the rule of law.”
- toughened penalties»Införa ett system med kraftiga straffskärpningar vid återfall« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce a system with severe penalty enhancements for reoffending”
The plan requires that criminal policy be redirected toward incapacitation and zero tolerance, that penalties be significantly increased, and that the right to furlough for the convicted be restricted.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that criminal policy be redirected toward incapacitation and zero tolerance, that penalties be significantly increased, and that the right to furlough for the convicted be restricted. The counter-proposal wants to refrain from criminalizing escape, citing that existing sanctions are sufficient, which is milder than the plan's consistent hardening line. The plan therefore speaks against the counter-proposal's requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att kriminalpolitiken läggs om mot inkapacitering och nolltolerans, att straffen kraftigt höjs och att rätten till permission för dömda begränsas. Motförslaget vill avstå från att kriminalisera rymning med hänvisning till att befintliga sanktioner räcker, vilket är mildare än planens genomgående skärpningslinje. Planen talar därför emot motförslagets krav.
- inkapaciteringdecisive»Sverigedemokraterna vill lägga om kriminalpolitiken till att i högre grad låsa in och utvisa de kriminella som skapar otrygghet och begår brott.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to redirect criminal policy to a greater extent toward locking up and expelling criminals who create insecurity and commit crimes.”
- nolltolerans mot brott»Införa nolltolerans mot brott så att även mindre allvarliga brott utreds och lagförs« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce zero tolerance for crime so that even less serious crimes are investigated and prosecuted”
- kraftigt höjda straff»Kraftigt höja straffen samt avskaffa mängdrabatten vid allvarliga brott mot person« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Significantly increase penalties and abolish the quantity discount for serious crimes against persons”
- begränsad permission»Begränsa rätten till permission för dömda« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Restrict the right to furlough for the convicted”
Share and embed
Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2025/26:JuU38)
- Committee report full text (HD01JuU38)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:4062 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:181 Ett förstärkt samhällsskydd och tydligare reaktioner vid återfall i brott av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP)
- Proposition 2025/26:181 — Ett förstärkt samhällsskydd och tydligare reaktioner vid återfall i brott
Source: The Swedish Parliament