Samhällets moraliska röst
Processuell rättvisa, legitimitet och lokal- och civilsamhällets roll i gruppvåldsinterventionen (GVI) i Malmö
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64098/SVT.2025.32.55531Nyckelord:
group violence intervention, GVI, credible messengers, community, crime prevention, gun violence, MalmöAbstract
Group Violence Intervention (GVI) is an American gun violence reduction strategy based on focused deterrence theory, aimed at stopping serious violence and shootings among criminal groups. The strategy has been implemented in several Swedish cities with the goal of reversing a negative trend marked by increasing shootings and explosions. GVI is carried out through collaboration between the police, the municipality/social services, and probation services. In the American version of the strategy, the local community plays a central role and should clearly demonstrate that violence is unacceptable. In the Swedish implementation of the strategy, however, it has not been as clear how the local community should be involved or what role it can play. Based on interview material collected in Malmö with more than 50 professionals working with GVI as well as with local-and civil society organizations involved in crime prevention work, the aim with the article is to critically reflect on the local community’s role in violence prevention strategies. The analysis shows that authorities have found it difficult to include local voices in GVI in Sweden. One challenge identified is the resistance encountered in certain neighborhoods to collaborate with authorities because there is a lack of trust in the police and social services. The article discusses the role of local community in relation to procedural justice and legitimacy and offers suggestions on how authorities can strengthen relationships with the local community and thereby include the voices, perspectives, and experiences that already exist in local neighborhoods. The findings are relevant for actors involved in preventive work across social services, the police, and civil society.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Anna Hedlund, Anna-Karin Ivert , Caroline Mellgren
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