Polisens förebyggande arbete i digitala miljöer : En studie om nätpatrullering riktad mot ungdomar

Sammanfattning

The rapid digitalization of society has fundamentally changed how people interact, shifting both social lives and risk environments for youth to online platforms. In response to this development, the Swedish Police Authority is implementing new digital working methods, such as online patrolling, to establish a digital presence and ensure public safety. The aim of this study is to investigate how police online patrolling can be structured and prioritized within crime prevention efforts targeting youth aged 15- 19 in digital environments. The study applies a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative semi-structured interviews with police officers experienced in online patrolling. Additionally, a quantitative survey mapped the actual digital behaviors, platform preferences, and safety strategies of adolescents. The theoretical framework integrates Community Policing, Routine Activity Theory, and the Quality Implementation Framework (QIF). By contrasting the strategic perspective of the police with the actual online footprints of the target demographic, the study highlights the opportunities and practical challenges of digital policing. The results reveal a clear gap between the current digital presence of the police and the actual digital behaviors of youth. This gap is reinforced by bureaucratic inertia and a police presence isolated to platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, while the youth rapidly move on to other platforms. Furthermore, it emerges that youths’ perceived safety online does not always correspond to their actual digital vulnerability or traceability, which is relevant for police crime prevention efforts. In summary, the study demonstrates that a transition from informative one-way communication to a relationship-building two-way dialogue is required to achieve effective online patrolling. The results aim to contribute empirically grounded knowledge on how future online patrolling can best be designed. The hope is that this will primarily benefit youth by creating a safer digital environment and, in the long term, strengthening trust in the police.