Sweden has for decades been a "superpower in humanitarian immigration", which has significantly altered its demographic structure. At the same time, the country's security situation has deteriorated year by year, and there are fears that criminal immigrant gangs will spread to Finland – a concern that the Swedish police have also warned their neighbors, including us Finns, about.
Against this background, it was interesting to note that the Swedish government is planning a law that would allow schools to search students' bags if they are suspected of carrying a weapon. Additionally, Swedes are prepared to invest approximately 27 million euros in school security and locking systems, as well as other similar safety measures.
Furthermore, the government is planning to impose an obligation on schools to report suspicious incidents and threats to the police. This would prevent the tendency to overlook or downplay unpleasant issues that have taken root in society.
Even more striking was the finding in a report published by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå) at the end of 2024. According to the report, 38.7% of ninth-grade boys and 23.3% of girls consider it completely or fairly acceptable to hit someone who has said something offensive. Moreover, as many as half of ninth-grade students—approximately fifteen-year-olds—have, according to their own reports, committed a crime within the past 12 months. The proportion is the same for both boys and girls.
As a consequence of these attitudes, violence has increased by more than 150% over the most recent measured ten-year period (2013–2023). According to criminology professor Olof Wikström, these crimes are not committed "despite knowing that they are wrong, but rather because they perceive them as right from the perspective of their own values and morals."
These facts should be acknowledged across the entire European Union. At the same time, it is essential to understand that Sweden serves as a cautionary example of failed policies, and its experiences should be heeded throughout the Union.
I'm curious to see what will be the end result. Trying to find a solution to a self created problem.
ReplyDelete