Law enforcement and the judiciary

(Polis och domstol)

The job of the Swedish judicial system is to protect the safety and security of all inhabitants by minimising the amount of crime that is committed.


The police

(Polisen)

The police prevent crime by stopping it while it is happening and persuading people not to commit it in the first place. They visit schools to tell students about what they do. Some communities have local police stations.

If you have been involved in or witnessed a crime, you must report it to the police.

In an emergency, dial 112 to SOS Alarm.

In non-emergencies, dial 11414 or report the crime at:
www.polisen.se


The courts

(Domstolarna)

Swedish courts are to be impartial and independent. Neither the Riksdag, Government nor any other agency may try to influence a court ruling.

Courts that rule on criminal and civil cases are called ordinary courts of law. Criminal trials are held when someone is suspected of having committed a crime. Civil cases involve two or more parties who disagree about a contract, will, divorce or similar matter.

 


What happens after a crime has been committed?

(Vad händer efter ett brott?)

If you have been involved in or witnessed a crime, you must report it to the police, who will conduct an investigation to find evidence and reconstruct what happened. If enough evidence is obtained, the case may be prosecuted in court.

Both the suspect and the victim must appear in the district court. Witnesses may also be called. The district court determines whether the defendant is guilty and, if so, what the sentence is to be.

The punishment may be a fine or imprisonment. The convicted offender may also be placed on probation for a certain period of time. Sweden does not have capital punishment.

A victim or convicted offender who does not agree with a district court ruling can take the case to a court of appeal.

Above the courts of appeal is the Supreme Court, which hears criminal cases that are important to writing legislation or that involve new evidence that the district court and court of appeal have not seen.

 


Legal assistance

(Rättshjälp)

If you are involved in court proceedings, you can obtain financial assistance. The state can pay part of your attorney’s fees (legal aid). If you have a home insurance policy, it may include legal coverage. In other words, the policy will pay part of your costs.

 

 

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