Brottsförebyggande arbete mot ungdomsbrottslighet på lokal nivå : En jämförande fallstudie av Eskilstuna och Katrineholms kommun

Sammanfattning

This study examines how two Swedish municipalities Eskilstuna and Katrineholm organise and coordinate their local crime prevention work targeting youth related crime. Using a qualitative comparative case study design, the analysis focuses on how local organisational structures, working methods, and collaboration between key actors shape municipalities capacity to deliver coordinated prevention. The empirical material consists of semi-structured interviews with municipal and police representatives, complemented by document analysis of local strategic plans, situational assessments, and policy documents. The findings show that both municipalities identify the recruitment of children and young people into criminal environments as a key challenge, but the problem is framed and addressed somewhat differently. In Eskilstuna, recruitment is closely linked to socioeconomic risk factors and variation between neighbourhoods, while police representatives also highlight cultural drivers such as the glamorisation of criminal lifestyles. In Katrineholm, youth related crime is described as a broader and interconnected problem involving violence, drugs, and an increasing digital dimension, including online threats, extortion, and image based abuse. Organisationally, Eskilstuna is characterised by more specialised roles and institutionalised collaboration structures, alongside internal mandate and decision making processes that may reduce speed in acute situations. Katrineholm demonstrates a more centralised coordination model built around recurring situational assessments and formalised collaboration forums, with an emphasis on avoiding person dependent solutions. Overall, the study suggests that municipal capacity and organisational design influence both the ability to sustain long term, knowledge based prevention and the ability to respond swiftly to emerging local problems, illustrating how national policy expectations are translated differently in distinct local contexts.