sou · H9B349 · 2022-01-01 00:00:00 — •föreslå en lag som säger hur kommunerna ska arbeta brottsförebyggande och vilka delar av kommunen som ska ingå •föreslå vilken hjälp som kommunerna bör få. Vårt uppdrag ingår i regeringens 34-punktsprogram mot gängkriminalitet. Vi har tagit reda på hur kommunerna i arbetar brottsförebyggande och vad som är bra att fortsätta med. Ingen har beskrivit exakt vad som menas med ordet brottsförebyggande arbete. Ofta brukar man skilja på det som påverkar människors vilja att begå brott och det som påverkar situationerna där brott lätt kan uppstå. Det handlar om att minska riskerna för att brott ska uppstå. Vi har fördjupat oss i vilka krav som ska ställas på kommunerna. Brottslighet behöver både bekämpas och förebyggas. Det förebyggande arbetet kan bli bättre. Här har kommunerna en viktig roll. De flesta kommuner arbetar med detta, men det är viktigt att kommunernas brottsförebyggande arbete är effektivt. att de pengar som satsas gör så stor nytta som möjligt. Målet är att minska brottsligheten och öka tryggheten. Det är viktigt med samarbete och att satsa pengarna på rätt saker och att använda den samlade kunskap som finns. Brottsligheten ser olika ut i landets kommuner. Kommunerna ser också väldigt olika ut. Därför är det viktigt att kommunerna får arbeta på olika sätt. Vi måste också ta hänsyn till annat utvecklingsarbete Vår utredning föreslår en ny lag som ska beskriva på vilket sätt kommuner måste arbeta med detta. Vi föreslår att lagen om kommuners ansvar för brottsförebyggande arbete ska börja gälla . Vi föreslår inte några ändringar i några andra lagar. Detta ska kommunerna göra Alla kommuner ska ta fram en lägesbild, som beskriver vilken brottslighet som finns i kommunen och hur brottsligheten påverkar samhället. Kommunerna ska undersöka och analysera och försöka hitta orsaken till de problem som de hittar. För brottsförebyggande arbete handlar ju om att förhindra att brott uppstår. Kommunerna ska ta fram en åtgärdsplan där de beskriver vad kommunen ska göra för att minska risken för brott. Detta arbete ska följas upp. om lägesbilden och åtgärdsplanen är aktuell. Kanske behöver något ändras eller läggas till. Kommunerna ska samarbeta med polisen. Ansvar att leda arbetet Alla kommuner ska försöka få andra att vara med i arbetet. Kommunerna ska bjuda in andra till ett brottsförebyggande råd. I den gruppen bör olika chefer ingå samt deltagare från till exempel polisen och det kommunala bostadsbolaget. Här ska det brottsförebyggande arbetet diskuteras. Här ska man försöka förhindra brott. Det är viktigt att det skrivs avtal där det står hur samarbetet ska gå till. Det ska stå vad som är målet och inom vilka områden man ska samarbeta. I alla kommuner ska det finnas en anställd person, som arbetar med dessa frågor. I stora kommuner kan man vara flera. De som bor i kommunen ska kunna få information om arbetet. Det är viktigt att kommunens ledning är engagerad i frågan. De ska besluta om hur det brottsförebyggande arbetet ska organiseras, se till att det finns pengar och att arbetet följs upp. Kommunstyrelsen bör ansvara för arbetet. Kommunfullmäktige ska få information om arbetet. Vi föreslår att myndigheten (Brå) får i uppgift av regeringen att följa upp och undersöka hur den nya lagen fungerar. Det blir särskilt intressant att undersöka om kommunernas möjlighet att följa den nya lagen påverkas av vad andra aktörer gör, till exempel polisen. Brå ska tillsammans med länsstyrelserna lämna förslag till regeringen på hur ett system för uppföljning kan se ut och hur det passar ihop med det arbete som Brå redan gör. Myndigheten Statskontoret ska få i uppgift att se om denna nya lag minskade brottsligheten. När kommunerna bestämt vad de ska göra kan de ansöka om pengar hos Brå. De kan få pengar för sådant som de annars inte skulle ha råd med. Brå ska även hjälpa kommunerna med kunskap och tips om hur de kan arbeta brottsförebyggande. Även länsstyrelserna ska kunna hjälpa kommunerna att göra vissa saker i det brottsförebyggande arbetet. I vissa kommuner finns det områden som polisen kallar för ”särskilt utsatta områden”. Där finns det ett brottsförebyggande arbete där många är inblandade. Vi föreslår att regeringen skapar en grupp av experter, som tillsammans med de kommuner som har utsatta områden, ska undersöka om det finns något mer som staten kan göra, för dessa områden. Vårt lagförslag innebär inte att personliga uppgifter om enskilda människor behöver delas mellan olika myndigheter, till exempel polisen och kommunernas socialtjänst. Brå har undersökt hur myndigheterna delar information. med den frågan. Så ska arbetet betalas Kommunerna kommer att få pengar från staten för att kunna följa den nya lagen. Länsstyrelserna kommer att få pengar från staten för att kunna utveckla sitt stöd till kommunerna. (Brå) kommer att få pengar från staten för att kunna göra de uppdrag som vi föreslår. Den nya lagen påverkar och ställer krav på andra aktörer, till exempel polisen. Det är viktigt att kommunerna och hittar ett bra samarbete. Vi hoppas att vårt lagförslag ska göra att även andra aktörer bjuds in till kommunernas brottsförebyggande arbete, till exempel föreningar och företag. Det finns många människor som vill sluta begå brott. Det ska vara möjligt att lämna kriminalitet. Den frågan har undersökts av andra utredningar. Vi tycker att regeringen ska fundera på att skapa ett nationellt program som ska gälla i hela . Det nationella programmet ska göra det möjligt att lämna ett kriminellt gäng. Vi har undersökt hur detta arbete kan utvecklas framöver. Kanske behöver regeringen förnya sitt brottsförebyggande program ”Tillsammans mot brott”. Det skulle kunna bli tydligare. kanske vi också behöver en lag som säger att all offentlig verksamhet, all verksamhet som betalas av skattepengar, måste arbeta brottsförebyggande. In brief, the Inquiry’s remit has been to: •describe and analyse operations within the municipalities that may contribute towards crime prevention work, •propose how a statutory municipal responsibility for crime prevention work should be drawn up and which operations should be covered by such a responsibility, and •submit proposals that contribute towards the municipalities being able to discharge their responsibilities for crime prevention work in an effective . The Inquiry’s directive states that the remit is not to consider whether municipal responsibility for crime prevention work should be laid down in law, but to consider and propose how such a statutory responsibility should be drawn up. The Inquiry’s work and starting points The framework for the Inquiry’s work, in relation to the complexity and breadth of the remit, has imposed requirements for delimitations. For example, it has not been possible to deal with issues relating to the regions’ role in local crime prevention work. The Inquiry does not, in principle, dwell upon individual types of crime, but since the remit is part of the Government’s 34-point programme containing measures to combat gang crime, matters with such a focus have been given a degree of attention. The work has been hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic. For example, the Inquiry’s meetings have mainly been held digitally. Dialogues have taken place with around 80 municipalities, with representatives from government agencies, industry and civil society organisations, and with a number of relevant professional groups. A research seminar has been held, and a survey has been carried out with the chairs of all the country’s municipal executive boards. In this way, the Inquiry has obtained important information about how local crime prevention work is carried out today, and about what may be significant in the future from various perspectives. Initially, it can be noted that crime prevention work is a cross- sectoral concept which lacks a formal definition. The Inquiry’s directive does not give a definition of the concept. The Govern- ment’s National crime prevention programme Combating crime together is based on a delimitation whereby crime prevention involves actions that aim to influence circumstance within the actual situation which mean that people choose to commit crime (situational crime prevention) or which aim to reduce people’s propensity to commit crime (social crime prevention). The Swedish Authority’s definition of the concept is based on its own aims for taking or participating in an action. ’s annual review of municipalities’ crime prevention work is based on indicators which primarily aim at how the municipalities carry out and organise their work. Crime prevention work involves reducing the risk of crime being committed by addressing the reasons and the circumstances behind criminality. The issues raised are complicated, knowledge is always developing, and there is scope for different interpretations and perceptions. Against this back- ground, the Inquiry has not deemed it to be appropriate or necessary to further delimit or define which types of action should be included in the concept of crime prevention work. Instead, the Inquiry has focused on the question of which requirements can and should be placed on all municipalities in this context. When it comes to the need for the current reform, it is clear that criminality needs to be both combatted and prevented, and that there is scope for developing and intensifying the preventive work. Through their broad operations and local basis, the municipalities have an important role to play. The Inquiry’s directive refers to ’s assessment that crime prevention work is not sufficiently prioritised by the municipalities, and that the initiatives carried out nationally in relation to crime prevention work need to be followed up with actions at local level. The Inquiry’s view is that the municipalities already carry out a large number of crime prevention actions, with 97 percent of the chairs of municipal executive boards stating in the Inquiry’s survey that such actions are taken. There may be a need for further actions, but – in the Inquiry’s opinion – it is particularly important to ensure that the crime prevention work that is carried out is effective in the sense that the resources invested have as great an effect as possible on the objective of Swedish criminal policy: to reduce crime and increase people’s safety. According to the Inquiry, effective crime prevention work involves the right actions being taken in accordance with the problems that exist, and the work being carried out in a knowledge- based and coordinated . The conditions for the reform mainly involve the situation in the country’s 290 municipalities differing in significant respects. It is not only the crime problems that vary; the municipalities’ conditions and needs in general are also completely different. This means, in the Inquiry’s opinion, that the municipalities must be given greater scope for deciding for themselves which crime prevention measures should be taken. In order to achieve sustainable development, it is important to establish an overall perspective. In terms of the Inquiry, this means for example that the reform should be seen within a context that also includes related reform and development work. It also involves, as far as possible, imposing those requirements that are placed on the municipalities when it comes to crime prevention work in relation to other related requirements – and conditions in general – that apply to municipal operations. Based on these starting points, the Inquiry is of the opinion that the things all municipalities can and should be obliged to do to prevent crime do not involve taking certain specific crime prevention measures; instead, they involve working with and taking responsibility for crime prevention issues in a way that promotes effectiveness in society’s combined crime prevention work. that a new law should be introduced, specifying which requirements are placed on the municipalities. It is proposed that this should be called the Act on municipalities’ responsibility for crime prevention work, and should enter into force on 1 January 2023. Act (2001:453), the Education Act (2010:800) and the Planning and Act (2010:900) are examples of laws that have great significance in terms of the municipalities’ crime prevention work. These laws already include both overall provisions with a crime prevention perspective and more specific provisions of direct significance for this work. Extensive reform and development work is also currently being carried out which involves or affects crime prevention issues within all the areas in question. The Inquiry does not therefore consider that it is appropriate to propose any amendments to these laws at present. Situation overview and action plan One central and essential condition for effective crime prevention work is knowledge about the crime problems to be prevented. All municipalities should therefore draw up a situation overview that describes criminality and its consequences within the municipality’s geographical area. Since preventive work involves addressing causes of and conditions for the phenomenon to be prevented, the situation overview should – in addition to mapping – also include an analysis of the causes behind the identified problems. The mapping should be supplemented with other information of significance for the description of criminality and the conditions that apply for preventing it. Based on the situation overview, and on knowledge about what may be effective when it comes to preventing the identified crime problems, the municipality should take a position on the need for preventive measures and formulate this in an action plan. This work should be continuously monitored, and at least every other year the situation overview and action plan should be updated and, if necessary, reviewed. Where possible and appropriate, this work should be integrated with other analysis and planning work that the municipality is obliged to carry out. In order to produce an adequate situation overview and action plan, the municipality is required to work with a number of other players, particularly the Swedish Authority. Joint situation overviews and action plans could be produced, provided that the requirements placed by the legislation on the municipality are met and can be monitored. Many players have the opportunity to contribute towards crime prevention work. In order for this work to reach its full potential, it is important that good use is made of resources and commitment, and that initiatives and processes are coordinated with each other. The municipality is given particular responsibility for local coordination of the work. This responsibility involves the municipality working to reach agreements on cooperation with relevant players and strategic crime prevention issues being dealt with within a council consisting of those players who are most closely affected by the work. These agreements should detail the aims and the areas within which cooperation should take place. Within the strategic council, the municipality’s crime problems and need for preventive measures and coordination are important issues to discuss. The council should consist of representatives from management functions, and if appropriate the council can also deal with issues other than crime prevention. municipality should have a coordination body for crime prevention work. The roles of this body should include coordinating and supporting the municipality’s internal work with crime prevention issues, acting as a contact point for external players, and contributing towards information about criminality and crime prevention work within the municipality being shared with residents and others who may have an interest in this. The commitment of municipal leadership is essential for crime prevention work. This includes specifying the frameworks and creating the right conditions for this work, and following up on it. Internal coordination is a success factor in this work, and is essentially a question of steering and leadership. The municipal executive board, or some other body as specifically determined by the municipal assembly, shall be responsible for leading the municipality’s crime prevention work. The municipal assembly shall be kept informed about this work. The Inquiry proposes that should continuously monitor the application of the law, and that this remit should be detailed in the Council’s instruction. Monitoring should particularly aim to obtain knowledge that can be used in ongoing development work. One particular aspect to highlight is how other players’ actions affect the municipalities’ opportunities to comply with requirements of the law. shall, in consultation with the county administrative boards, submit proposals for how such a monitoring system can be designed in greater detail, and how it can be integrated with the monitoring of crime prevention work that is already carried out by the Council. Later on, it is proposed that for should be tasked with evaluating the reform. The extent to which the municipalities’ statutory responsibility for crime prevention work has actually led to the desired effects should then be a key issue. Support for the municipalities Grants for crime prevention measures The Inquiry proposes that municipalities should be given the opportunity to apply for grants for well justified, time-limited crime prevention measures that they have identified a need for, but that would otherwise be hard to carry out due to resource limitations. this way, the Government can encourage and contribute towards crime prevention work being carried out across the country. It is proposed that should administer these grants. Strategic knowledge support – for which has particular responsibility – should be targeted towards helping the municipalities to comply with the requirements of the new law. The Inquiry proposes that the Govern- ment should task the Council, in consultation with the county administrative boards, with mapping the municipalities’ need for support in order to do this, and – based on this – submitting proposals for how the support currently offered by the Council should be adapted. If this mapping reveals a need for support from other government agencies, this should also be highlighted. The county administrative boards’ support for the municipalities’ crime prevention work should be developed with a focus on offering additional operational support. This support should be adapted in line with individual municipalities’ needs in order to comply with the requirements of the new law. Municipalities with particularly vulnerable areas crime prevention work is carried out in many municipalities, and in many places the requirements of the proposed law can already be expected to be fully or partially met. This applies, for example, to municipalities with areas that the Swedish Authority has identified as being particularly vulnerable. At the same time, it is important that the Government does everything required and possible to promote crime prevention work in these areas. This could involve providing support and clearing away obstacles to preventive work. Many actions have been carried out for a long time, many actions are currently being carried out, and many different players are involved. Against this background, the Inquiry proposes that the Government should appoint an independent group of experts to promptly, and in close dialogue with the relevant municipalities, map the current situation and identify any need for additional measures from the Government. Questions about sharing information The requirements of the proposed law do not involve exchanging information that includes data about individuals. This means that the rules on confidentiality and data protection do not apply. However, some municipalities have requested more advanced exchanges of information in their crime prevention work, which may also include personal data. In addition, it is clear that many municipalities see a need for support in connection with the application of the current regulations, and possibly also with changes to these regulations. has been com- missioned by the Government to investigate the conditions for sharing information between different players within crime prevention work. ’s report is currently being prepared by the Government Offices’. Among other things, the Inquiry proposes that: –the municipalities are remunerated for the obligations resulting from the legislative proposal through an increase in the grant for economic equalisation for municipalities, with an amount calculated based on the remuneration model for emergency preparedness, –the county administrative boards are given resources for developing their operational support for the municipalities, and –is given resources for implementing the preparatory remit proposed by the Inquiry. The introduction of a statutory municipal responsibility for crime prevention work also affects and imposes requirements on other players. As far as possible, public sector players who are affected by this work should support the municipalities with various forms of information and support. There may also be good reason to ensure that their own work meets the requirements in terms of being know- ledge-based and coordinated. Cooperation between the munici- palities and the Swedish Authority is central. The Inquiry’s proposal means that both these players will have a statutory responsibility for crime prevention work, which should provide good conditions for a continued positive development in their cooperation. Future follow-ups will show whether this is an accurate assessment. The Inquiry hopes that the legislative proposal will provide the right conditions and incentives for the further involve- ment of other players – such as industry, civil society organisations and individuals – in local crime prevention work. What is possible and appropriate will be determined by the individual municipality. Developments in this respect would also be an interesting issue to highlight when following up on the application of the law. Actions to prevent a relapse into crime are an important part of crime prevention work, and particular attention should be paid in the Inquiry’s directive to the opportunities to leave a criminal path. The need for action or cooperation within this area may very well be highlighted in the work prescribed by the proposed law. There may also be reason to consider whether the support offered by society to those wishing to leave a criminal path is sufficient and equal, and what responsibilities the municipalities should have in this context. However, these issues require specific consideration and need to be related both to the ongoing review of the Act (2001:453) and to the preparation of the proposal for a national desistance strategy that the Swedish Prison and , the Swedish Authority, and have drawn up on behalf of the Government. As part of the fight against ongoing gang crime, the Inquiry is also of the opinion that there may be grounds to consider introducing a specific national programme to ensure that individuals who want to leave such a criminal group are given the opportunity to do so quickly and effectively. During the course of the work, it has become clear that crime prevention work involves and affects many different players. The Inquiry has listened to a great many opinions on how crime prevention work can be developed and targeted, and on how different players can contribute towards this. Based on this, the Inquiry notes a number of ongoing opportunities for development. As one way to take further advantage of the opportunities that exist, inspiring continued work and commitment, and clarifying goals and priorities, there may be grounds for the Government to further develop the National crime prevention programme Combating crime together.