Sweden expands support to prevent youth crime

The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) is expanding its reinforcement team program to 29 additional municipalities and districts. This initiative aims to strengthen crime prevention efforts by helping local social services identify and support children and young people at risk of being drawn into criminal activity or substance abuse.

The program provides tailored expert assistance to help municipalities assess local needs and implement knowledge-based methods. For example, in the pilot municipality of Håbo, the support helped establish structured collaboration between social services, schools, police, and youth activities. This improved the ability to identify at-risk individuals, including girls who might otherwise have been overlooked.

Municipalities like Mjölby are utilizing the support to develop better detection methods and staff competence. Some areas are also seeking training in the Risk, Need, and Responsivity (RBM) model, an evidence-based approach used to assess and meet the needs of youth with norm-breaking behavior. Following a pilot phase that began in 2023, the reinforcement team operation is set to become permanent by 2026.