The Swedish government has submitted proposals to the Riksdag for new compensation rules focused on crime victims, representing the biggest change in decades. Under the new system, victims could receive compensation directly from the state after a final decision, with the state then claiming reimbursement from perpetrators. According to Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer, the proposals aim to shift the burden from victims, who currently must first seek compensation from their perpetrators.
The government is also sharpening guardians' responsibility when their children cause harm through crime, and facilitating voluntary payment of compensation by perpetrators who want to make amends without contacting the victim. This includes making it easier for such payments to be processed. The reform extends to deprivation of liberty compensation, which will be revised to ensure payouts are only made when justified and in reasonable amounts.
This change follows cases where large sums were awarded in offensive situations, such as a perpetrator convicted of two serious rapes receiving 840,000 kronor, more than they owed their victim. All these changes are proposed to come into force on September 1 this year. However, it remains unclear how the state's process for claiming reimbursement from perpetrators will work in practice, or what specific criteria will determine when deprivation of liberty compensation is 'justified' and what constitutes a 'reasonable amount'.