Title: Concerns About Juvenile Criminals in Sweden: The Impact of Social and Mental Health Problems
Nadim Ghazale, a municipal police officer in Borås, Sweden, has expressed concern about the impact of social and mental health problems on young people, leading them into criminal activities. Ghazale believes that these issues are significant as they leave children vulnerable to criminal exploitation and make them easy targets for criminal networks.
According to Ghazale, many young people involved in criminal activities have grown up without proper care and assistance, making them more susceptible to being lured into criminal activities. During the past five years, 26 people under the age of 18 have been convicted of crimes related to completed or planned bombings in Sweden. The majority of them have had problems at school, with many having or suspected of having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that affects their impulse control.
In the cases examined by the police, social services have indicated that the young individuals had difficulties recognizing danger and thinking about consequences. One family member even claimed that their child could not have been involved in planning a crime because he “can’t even plan what to wear.” Furthermore, some of the convicted juveniles have been diagnosed with intellectual disabilities, and some have received a lighter sentence for criminal activities due to their below-average talent level.
The police investigations also revealed deficiencies in basic care, financial problems, hunger, suspected violence in the home, and parents struggling with substance abuse and mental illness. Drug use has been identified as a recurring issue among the convicts. Arvid Danielsson, a lawyer who has represented several of the young individuals involved in serious crimes, pointed out that narcotics are often used to influence these young people into committing crimes, indicating that getting drunk with drugs before committing the crime is a common occurrence.
Ghazale stressed that the clear difficulties faced by many of these young individuals are reasons why criminal gangs can exploit them, offering clear frameworks for the vulnerable children. He emphasized that understanding these problems does not absolve the perpetrators of responsibility for their crimes.
The lawyer, Arvid Danielsson, highlighted the importance of addressing the underlying social and mental health issues. He stated that the problems these young individuals faced before committing crimes are the key to finding a solution, emphasizing that addressing these issues is crucial in preventing such criminal activities from continuing.
The concerns regarding the impact of social and mental health problems on young individuals involved in criminal activities in Sweden have raised alarm bells for law enforcement, social services, and legal experts. It is evident that addressing these issues is essential to provide support and guidance to prevent vulnerable youth from being exploited by criminal networks.
(The article is signed by Maria Ridderstedt, Kina Pohjanen, and Victoria Gaunitz from sverigesradio.se)