On Tuesday evening, a new method was tested in Gothenburg to reach people in organized crime. It involves members of violent groups being invited to a general meeting where the voices of sorrow, regret and hope are heard.
Katerina Petrović was the voice of grief on Tuesday. A defector was the remorse and a principal spoke from hope.
– We are satisfied with the arrangement, our only requirement was that they would sit and listen and they did it, says Linda Sjöström, coordinator GVI, police area Greater Gothenburg.
"If the violence continues, there will be severe sanctions"
This type of meeting can be seen as the first step in a three-pronged strategy: first, a clear message from society that violence must stop. If it continues: severe sanctions at group level.
"This may mean that we stop people more often, that they need to submit urine samples to the Swedish Probation Service, that the Environmental Administration checks their business activities even more carefully," says Linda Sjöström.
The third step is an offer of help to drop out.
"You can turn to Gothenburg's defector phone or your probation inspector or someone else you trust," says Linda Sjöström.
30 or so criminal groups in Gothenburg
In future, two general meetings will be held per year. Those invited from criminal environments were selected from the police's survey, which shows that there are about 30 criminal groups in Gothenburg. About ten were invited.
"We don't say how many people were there. Not everyone came, but a number came," says Linda Sjöström.