The non-governmental organization of crime prevention

Swedish crime policies have in later decades stressed the importance of collaboration between the public, municipalities, and governmental agencies, evident in the formation of new crime prevention programs. The political emphasis on public responsibility in questions of crime prevention include civic encouragements to organize and maintain non-profit associations, primarily centered around issues of safety and voluntary community policing. This has been materialized in Neighborhood Watches and so-called ‘Night patrols’ and ‘Safety walks’. Made up of parents and adults, night patrollers stroll the streets during night time, oftentimes wearing visible vests with the organizational logos imprinted on the front and back. In crime prevention programs, these forms of civic initiatives are oftentimes expected to increase social control and harmony. As such, they are imagined to exist ‘side by side’ with the governmental responsibilities of crime prevention. Through an ethnographic approach, the current research project aims to cast light upon the ways in which local and voluntary crime prevention is initiated, organized and practiced, and furthermore, how these practices are intertwined with notions of security, responsibility, and community. The presentation will shed light on preliminary findings that have emerged during the field study.