The Government has today called for a crisis meeting about the acute shortage of places at Sis.
The risk is high that several of the 58 people who are currently in the queue will commit serious violent crimes, according to SKR: "Meanwhile, murders are being committed, by children."
The industry organization Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR) is sounding the alarm in a petition to the Government. The shortage of closed care places is acute and unacceptable.
Young people who may be involved in criminality are waiting for a place, and the police assess that several of them have a very high risk of carrying out shootings or being shot themselves.
According to the latest statistics from the National Board of Institutional Care (Sis), 58 children and young people are waiting for a place and are in urgent need of closed care (LVU).
"Very high risk"
"The situation has a serious impact on the social services' and police's ability to perform their duties, to protect children and young people and to protect the general public", writes SKR in the petition from June 24 and addresses Social Minister Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M).
"The Government must take into account the reality where children are committing and being victims of horrific crimes in the form of shootings and explosions."
These individuals need to be taken off the streets, continues SKR.
"Meanwhile, murders are being committed, by children."
The shortage of places exists throughout the country but is most acute in the major cities. The waiting times are estimated to be five or six weeks. In Järva in Stockholm, with several particularly vulnerable areas, the situation is so serious that the district administration is planning to report itself to the authorities for help with the situation.
The police have simultaneously warned parents and the general public that the recruitment of children and young people to criminal gangs risks increasing during the summer. The shortage of Sis places and young people deviating from other placements is described as a major challenge.
Crisis meeting with the Minister
Therefore, a digital crisis meeting is being held today at the Ministry of Social Affairs with the Social Minister, SKR's metropolitan network, and Sis' management.
According to SKR, the Government and Sis need to act immediately to alleviate the situation. Currently, the need for the number of places in locked units should take precedence over care needs, i.e., it is more important for children to get a Sis place than for the care quality to be optimal, according to the organization.
New construction of facilities is required, including modular houses and other buildings, and the discharge of young people needs to become more flexible, continues the organization.
SKR also believes that LVU places (Law on Care of Young People, which most are placed after) should not be converted to LSU places (Law on Closed Youth Care), which are assigned to young people for, among other things, murder, manslaughter, assault, sexual offenses, robbery, and drug offenses.
