The data clash
Utopia vs Reality
How to read this
“The data clash” is the gap between the utopia — the image of Sweden as one of the world's best, safest and most equal countries — and the reality in the statistics. The charts below show what the numbers actually say, not what we wish they said.
varav 19 särskilt utsatta
201520202024
Human consequence
Persona
A community police officer in a particularly vulnerable area.
Then
- A 'community team' meant a few officers on call.
- Crime scenes were handled by individual patrols.
- Witnesses called the police — and dared to testify.
Now
- Permanent reinforcement, body armour standard.
- Multiple patrols and ambulance escort required for callouts.
- Witness interviews are done in protected channels; witness refusal is more common than in any other Nordic country.
The Nordics — same metric
Övriga områden81 %Utsatta13 %Riskområden3 %Särskilt utsatta3 %
Method & uncertainty
Definitions
- — Polismyndigheten klassar områden i ”utsatt”, ”riskområde”, ”särskilt utsatt”. 2024: 37 utsatta, 3 risk, 19 särskilt utsatta.
Uncertainties
- — Klassificeringskriterierna har ändrats marginellt 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021.
2035
What would it take to follow Denmark — halving the list in nine years?
Sweden's trend has been flat since 2017. At Denmark's halving rate, Sweden's list would reach 30 areas no earlier than 2034.
Read the full investigation of how Sweden has changed.
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