This week, the County Administrative Board, Örebro Municipality, the prison service and the police were visited by the professor of criminal law, David Kennedy from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, who gave a lecture on the GVI strategy.

It was developed by him, introduced in Boston in the 90s and in five years the number of murders decreased by 70 percent and the serious violence by 60 percent.

David Kennedy, Professor of Criminal Law at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York

- It is hard work and requires a stable, goal-oriented leadership and partnership among those involved, says Professor David Kennedy.

Called to a meeting

The keys in the strategy are evidence-based and are about several societal bodies methodically cooperating and clearly showing perpetrators what alternatives there are for breaking the gross and deadly violence.

The method has previously been introduced in Malmö under the name "Stop shooting" and five more municipalities in the country are next.

One of the first steps in the strategy is to carry out so-called "call-ins" in the event of aggravated or fatal violence.

- A number of focus persons, main persons or persons who have a role in their groups are called to a meeting.

There are government officials, but also what is really important - people from the local community that they trust.

Parents who have lost their children or people who are important in the local community who appeal to them that the violence must stop, says Elisabeth Arnestad who is police area chief in Örebro.

Offer options

More things that fall within the strategy are to mark individuals in the groups and prosecute all types of crime.

Perpetrators are also offered to drop out and the municipality's part in the collaboration is of the utmost importance in order to be able to offer social care and alternatives.

- What makes us impressed and optimistic here in Örebro is that the leadership is in place, the determination is there and it does at all levels in the organizations, says Professor David Kennedy.

Hear more about the police's view of the criminal groups in Örebro in the video.