Short prison sentences nearly halved in Switzerland

The number of short custodial sentences without early release dropped by nearly half in 2024 compared with the previous year, while offences under the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act increased by 17%. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) noted this in a statement on Tuesday. The number of prison sentences lasting less than six months has almost halved in just a year – dropping from just under 6,000 in 2023 to just over 3,000 last year, a fall of 48%. +Rising crime in Switzerland: expert insights & solutions That figure is even lower than in 2007, when the lowest number was recorded. A change in the law came into effect that year, aimed at cutting down on short-term prison terms. The drop in custodial sentences has been offset by a rise in financial penalties – up by 1,600 without eligibility for early release, and by 1,400 with such conditions. As in previous years, fines remained the most common form of punishment ...