Collaboration in Järva reduces fatal shootings but highlights challenges in youth accommodation in Sweden

In Järva, collaboration between schools, social services, and the police has effectively reduced the number of fatal shootings. This partnership allows for early intervention with at-risk youth, according to local police officer Stefan Larsson. “We have been working on crime prevention initiatives for about 20 years. This is a key reason I began working in this field: to ensure that no more young children are shot,” Larsson stated. He added, “In all these years, I have never seen so many young people involved in gun violence as I do now in Sweden.”

Despite these efforts, challenges remain. Many young individuals taken in by the police and needing placement in Sis or HVB homes are unable to find accommodations or run away. As a result, Järva municipality has filed a self-report under lex-Sarah after a young person was turned away from a Sis home. “When we cannot utilize these resources, we are unable to fulfill our mission, and therefore we must report ourselves under lex-Sarah,” said Alexander Ojanne, the municipal council’s social and safety representative. He described the situation as “a catastrophe, it is a scandal. These are children who need protection.”