Coercive measures against minors in the Swedish asylum process : legal uncertainty, ambivalence and experiences of intrusiveness

• Asylum-seeking minors are viewed as particularly vulnerable but are still exposed to coercive measures permitted by law. This study analyses Swedish Police Authority and Swedish Migration Agency officials’ perceptions of coercive measures towards minors in the asylum process in light of the Swedish law, and raises minors’ own voices on their experiences of coercive measures. Qualitative interviews were performed with 1) officials at the Swedish Police Authority and Swedish Migration Agency who manage and use coercive actions against minors and 2) former minors with experiences of being subjected to coercive measures. Based on a thematic analysis, the results illustrate how the officials’ perceptions about coercive measures are characterized by uncertainty and ambivalence. The minors expressed the importance of how they were treated during the asylum process rather than the coercive measure as such. Swedish law regulating coercive measures needs clarifications to give sufficient guidance for practice.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Socialt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Social Work (hsv//eng)

Keyword

asylum-seeking minors

law

officials

thematic analysis

qualitative interviews

police science

polisforskning

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)