- We have had occasions where the children want to participate but the parents do not want.

It sets limits and there will be closed preliminary investigations, says Marcus Warneby, group manager for the youth group within Nacka Police.

This week's crime has talked to police officers who investigate juvenile delinquency in all of Stockholm's 17 local police areas.

In 15 of them, the investigators state that the problem with young crime victims or witnesses who do not dare to participate in a police investigation has become greater.

Several state that it is parents who in many cases do not want their children to participate.

- What we notice is that the guardians do not let their children participate because they are afraid that the children will be exposed, says Marcus Warneby.

Hot common

According to the police, it is common for the victim to be threatened in connection with the crime.

But that the threats are implemented in reality in connection with a trial or after a police report is, according to them, very unusual.

- My experience is that the fears in most of the times are not justified at all.

That it will be an assault or that it will be followed up in some way.

It is usually the threat that is effective enough.

The fear is understandable but may not always be substantiated by a probability, says Marcus Warneby.

Witnesses back off

Several investigators express concern about the development and say that many cases are closed because the plaintiffs and witnesses withdraw.

Several also say that the culture of silence has spread and become widespread among young people in all types of areas.

- This culture of silence has been common in serious organized crime, but now there is the same type of culture of silence in juvenile delinquency, says Ferhat Kalkan, group manager for the youth group in Farsta.

"The rule of law is falling"

Many are also worried about what will happen if the development continues in the same direction.

- The next risk will then be that if it is not even reported.

We can not do anything because we never find out that something has happened.

It would be catastrophic, then the whole legal society would fall if it were to happen, says Boxiao Pan, head of the preliminary investigation in Södra Roslagen.