Crime prevention in rural Sweden

• In this article we report examples of crime prevention (CP) experiences using case studies in rural municipalities in Sweden. Data from three different sources were analysed: semi-structured interviews with representatives of CP groups in eight rural municipalities, responses from an email survey, and a database of CP projects receiving funding from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention. Findings show that youth-related problems are the major CP concern, which are translated into projects against violence and alcohol and drug addiction. National CP guidelines overlook the nature of rural crime, its seasonality and what happens outside the urban core. Although CP groups in rural Sweden face a number of challenges, they show indications of being well prepared to address youth-related problems. The article concludes with a summary of results and flags the need to extend the international evidence on crime prevention to include experiences that go beyond large city problems.

Nyckelord

crime prevention

offences

countryside

remoteness

Sweden

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)