Swedish police regularly detain children in custody despite legal restrictions

A government watchdog has found that Swedish police routinely place children in arrest cells, even though such detentions should only occur in exceptional cases, SVT Nyheter reports.

Justitieombudsmannen (JO), Sweden’s Parliamentary Ombudsman, concluded in a new investigation that nearly one-third of detained minors—around 160 out of 500—were held in police cells at some point during their custody. The practice violates legal restrictions introduced in 2021, which permit detention in arrest cells only when “absolutely necessary.”

“What should only happen exceptionally is occurring regularly,” said Ombudsman Per Lennerbrant in a statement, calling the situation “completely unacceptable.”

The review, launched in October last year, examined police stations in ten cities, including Sundsvall, Umeå, Västerås, and Malmö. While no minors were detained in cells in Sundsvall or Umeå, Västerås stood out: 36 of 41 detained children were placed in arrest cells.

“This is, of course, completely unacceptable,” Lennerbrant reiterated.

The JO will now forward its findings to the government. Police in the affected regions have not yet commented, with a spokesperson for the central Mitt region stating they must first review the report.

Under the 2021 Law on Special Provisions for Young Offenders (LUL), minors under 18 may only be detained in police cells if no alternative exists. The rule will extend to those held for questioning under separate legal provisions starting October 2025.