life sentence

Denmark's most severe sanction: indeterminate imprisonment with parole after 12 years

A life sentence is imprisonment for life and constitutes the most severe criminal sanction in Denmark. The punishment has no fixed expiry date and therefore differs in principle from fixed-term prison sentences, which can run to a maximum of 16 years for a single offence. The authority to impose a life sentence is found in the Danish Penal Code (straffeloven) § 33(1), which states that imprisonment may be imposed either for life or for a fixed term.

In practice, the life sentence is reserved for the gravest crimes, in particular intentional homicide under aggravating circumstances. A person who was under 18 years of age at the time of the offence cannot be sentenced to life imprisonment. This age limit is an absolute legal principle and applies regardless of the seriousness of the crime.

Although the sentence is formally indeterminate, straffeloven § 41(1) allows for parole. A person serving a life sentence can be released on parole at the earliest after 12 years, and the decision is made by the Minister of Justice or the authority to which the minister has delegated this power. Parole is not a right, but depends on a specific assessment of the convicted person's circumstances and the risk of further crime.

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