How Research Can Strengthen Social Services as a Crime Prevention Platform

“It’s a unique opportunity. Few research projects get the chance to follow young people over such a long period. Now we can examine both their previous circumstances and how things develop for them several years down the line,” says Julia Sandahl. Photo: Madeleine Bäckman

“Social services bear a significant responsibility to take action against young offenders. But we know too little about what methods are used and how effective they are,” says Julia Sandahl, Researcher at the Department of Criminology, Stockholm University.

With a grant of SEK 24 million from Forte, the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, Julia Sandahl and Anna Kahlmeter and their colleagues from the Department of Criminology and the Department of Social Work will examine how social services function as a platform for crime prevention. A key premise for the project is the increasing pressure on social services to engage with young offenders, driven in part by the recent rise in shootings in Sweden. The project is conducted in close collaboration with Stockholm City’s Social Services Department and its eleven district departments,  and will run for six years.

“It’s a unique opportunity. Few research projects get the chance to follow young people over such a long period. Now we can examine both their previous circumstances and how things develop for them several years down the line,” says Julia Sandahl.

Mutual Understanding Is Key

The initiative comes in the context of Sweden’s new Social Services Act, which emphasises a more preventive role for social services, especially in relation to children who commit crimes. The aim is to identify what methods and approaches are currently in use, how they are experienced by both young recipients and professionals, and ultimately, what makes a real difference.

Julia Sandahl explains that the project involves gathering extensive quantitative data, as well as following and interviewing young people, outreach workers, social workers, and those involved at the strategic level.

“Looking at how young people fare after receiving interventions from social services is perhaps the backbone of the project. But we don’t just want to measure outcomes, we want to understand people’s experiences. How does a young person perceive the support they receive? How do professionals view their working conditions, their methods, and their broader role in crime prevention?”

Working closely with social services also requires mutual understanding, she emphasises.

“I believe it’s important to respect each other’s working processes. We operate in entirely different types of organisations with different timeframes, the social services handle urgent issues daily, while we think in terms of years. Transparency is crucial, and we must find a middle ground that works for both parties. It helps if we can agree on shared goals for the research and have reasonable expectations of each other.”

“Policy Sets the Conditions”

The researchers aim not only to generate new knowledge but also to ensure that their findings are practically applied within social services.
“We must be clear from the outset that research doesn’t deliver ready-made manuals. At best, concrete applications can emerge once the research is complete.”

Instead, the focus is on building long-term structures for collaboration between researchers and practitioners — with the ultimate goal of getting policymakers to listen.

“It’s the political arena that sets the framework for practice. That’s why it’s essential that our results reach decision-makers — not just those working in day-to-day operations.”

The programme also strives to include those directly affected: social services staff and the young people receiving interventions. One initiative is to develop a joint Master's course on crime prevention in social services, bringing together professionals and students.

“This is about building knowledge together and creating space for shared learning. The programme allows us to track developments over time, and maybe even apply for funding for future follow-ups,” concludes Julia Sandahl.

The project Social services as an arena for crime prevention - prerequisites, working methods and outcomes (SambA) is carried out by: Julia Sandahl, Researcher, Anna Kahlmeter, Researcher, Peter Andersson, Senior Lecturer, Maria Andersson Vogel, Senior Lecturer, Felipe Estrada Dörner, Head of Department, Tove Pettersson, Professor, David Pålsson, Senior Lecturer, Emelie Shanks, Senior Lecturer, Stefan Wiklund, Professor.

Read more about the research project here (in Swedish).

Read more about the engagement between Stockholm University and the City of Stockholm here.

Are you a researcher looking for the right level of collaboration? Contact Stockholm University’s engagement support.  Read more here. 

Written by: Madeleine Bäckman