Swedish police struggle to curb gang recruitment of children, analyst warns

Sweden’s police have failed to address the persistent recruitment of children into criminal gangs, despite claims that gun violence trends are improving, according to an analysis by public broadcaster SVT Nyheter.

In a report published Friday, investigative reporter Diamant Salihu highlights that while National Police Commissioner Anders Thornberg recently stated the wave of shootings had been “broken” in a 30-minute briefing, the ongoing recruitment of minors into gangs remains an unresolved challenge. Salihu warns that as long as children continue to be drawn into criminal networks, the risk of renewed gang conflicts persists.

“The recruitment of new, young members is Sweden’s major unresolved problem,” Salihu states in the analysis, emphasising that police efforts have not effectively disrupted this cycle. The report underscores that gangs adapt their tactics in response to law enforcement strategies, further complicating efforts to dismantle their operations.

SVT notes that the conclusions are based on the reporter’s independent assessment, in line with the broadcaster’s editorial guidelines for analytical content.