Kumla prison opens youth unit as first minors arrive

Kumla prison in central Sweden has received its first group of underage inmates, marking the start of a new youth detention unit under a recent law change.

Fewer than ten 17-year-olds and a small number of 18-year-olds have been transferred from other prisons, according to SVT Nyheter. The facility’s youth unit, which opened on July 1, is designed for minors previously convicted of serious violent crimes.

Kumla is one of eight prisons in Sweden with dedicated youth sections, but it is the first to accept minors who were already serving sentences before the legal change lowered the age of criminal responsibility for certain serious offenses.

Jacques Mwepu, head of Kumla prison, said the unit prioritizes the needs of the children over institutional convenience. “The child’s best interests must always come first,” he said. He noted that some 18-year-olds have been placed there under exceptional circumstances, though the unit is intended for those under 18.

The youth unit has 32 single-occupancy rooms across four wings. As of this month, fewer than ten beds are occupied, but officials expect the unit to reach full capacity within one to two years as more minors are sentenced under the new law.