NCJ Number
181422
Date Published
1999
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This report describes the drug situation in the Swedish prison and probation system.
Abstract
Sweden has a long tradition of seeking to reduce reliance on imprisonment and using community sanctions instead. When imprisonment is unavoidable, sentences are kept as short as possible. Consequently, about 30 percent of inmates are serving sentences of 2 months or less; nearly 65 percent are serving sentences of 6 months or less. These facts should be borne in mind when considering statistics on the sentences of drug-misusing prisoners. The report attempts to summarize information on the number of drug-misusing offenders in the system, the scope of drug misuse, the extent of drug misuse in the prisons and remand prisons, and the nature and extent of efforts to control and treat drug misuse. The main emphasis is on problems posed by narcotic drugs. However, the report also deals with alcohol and other substances even if they are not classified as narcotic drugs. The report discusses HIV-positive prisoners, urine analyses, and personal change programs in prisons. In a discussion of probation and parole, the report reviews offenders sentenced for drug offenses, age distribution of probationers, drug and alcohol misusers under supervision, HIV-positive cases, and personal change programs. Notes, figures, table