Increased Parental Awareness Linked to Decline in Violence in Sweden

At the beginning of the year, Sweden experienced a surge in violence, marked by 32 explosions within just 28 days. This alarming trend prompted government officials, including the Prime Minister, to acknowledge a lack of control over the situation. However, in recent months, the frequency of such violent incidents has significantly decreased, with only a handful of explosions reported.

Statistics show a notable change in the number of individuals in custody. As of March 31, 2025, 559 individuals were detained in the Stockholm police region, an increase from 521 the previous year, and 436 two years prior.

Furthermore, there is a positive trend in the most severe forms of violence. In 2023, the Stockholm police region recorded 44 cases of fatal violence, which dropped to 25 in 2024, marking the lowest figure in a decade.

Magnus Mowitz, the deputy chief of police in the northern Stockholm area, expressed cautious optimism regarding this decline. He attributed part of the improvement to the police's growing ability to act proactively.

"We now have more opportunities to intervene early in situations where we anticipate potential violent outcomes. This proactive stance enables us to arrest individuals and prevent fatal incidents more effectively than before," he noted.

Mowitz also highlighted the critical role of the community in this positive trend, particularly the heightened awareness among parents. He noted that parents are increasingly concerned about their children's activities and social media interactions. They are taking steps such as inspecting belongings for weapons and reporting unusual behavior to the police.

"This shift has led to weekly interventions where we can step in before a young person engages in harmful actions," Mowitz explained, emphasizing the proactive involvement of parents.

In addition to parental vigilance, Mowitz pointed out the increased awareness among various community members, including retail staff and taxi drivers. For instance, staff at gas stations may notice a young person purchasing multiple fuel containers, or store employees might react when someone buys an excessive number of certain items.

Despite these encouraging signs, Mowitz cautioned that the threat of violence is not entirely eradicated. Preparations and attempts at violence continue to take place, but the police are often able to intervene before these incidents escalate.

"We are currently seeing fewer completed crimes, but there are still substantial discussions about violence occurring in private chat rooms, where individuals are seeking others to carry out violent acts," he warned.

As for the rapid decline in bombings, Mowitz explained that there is no single reason for this change. However, he noted that successful arrests have played a crucial role, as there is a limited number of individuals capable of constructing explosives.

"We have managed to incapacitate several key individuals who were instrumental during the earlier violent episodes, although I cannot disclose specific details due to ongoing investigations," he added.