Sweden boosts justice system spending to tackle crime

Sweden will increase spending on its justice system by 3.46 billion crowns ($335 million) in its budget bill 2025 to curb high crime rates, the justice minister said on Wednesday.

Including earlier decided measures and other cost increases, the justice system budget will grow by 8 billion crowns or 10% year-on-year to 86.7 billion crowns in 2025.

Sweden has been rocked by gang violence, often involving minors, in the last decade and has the highest per-capita rate of gun violence in the European Union.

Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer told a news conference that while shootings associated with organized crime so far this year were fewer than in the same period in 2023, there is a risk of new spirals of violence.
"Things are still bubbling under the surface," he said.

"We aim to restore security for all honest citizens in Sweden. This involves mainly three things: cracking down on serious violence, cutting off the criminal economy, and stopping the recruitment of children and young people into gangs," he added.

Reuters