I often stand<\/strong> in front of packed auditoriums and tell my story. I start by saying:<\/p>\n \u201cWe live in a society where crime is like a virus. A virus that grows and becomes stronger the more resistance it meets. But if we treat it with inclusion, guidance, and opportunities, we can create change.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n These words are not just empty phrases for me. I know how true they are, because I have lived it. I have seen how people living a criminal lifestyle need warmth, mentorship, and someone who believes in them. And I also know how difficult it can be to leave that world behind. It is a struggle, not just against one's own choices, but also against societal structures and prejudices. <\/p>\n When I started Trygg R\u00e4tt in 2018, I knew nothing but crime. But I had a goal: to create something that could truly prevent crime. I built the methods based on what I had needed myself \u2013 mentorship, guidance, and opportunities to see another path. <\/p>\n When I talk about crime, I often describe it as a virus. For every obstacle that society puts up \u2013 harsher penalties, stricter laws \u2013 crime finds a way around. Our youth are drawn to that world, not because they are evil or want to destroy, but because it often seems to be the only context that appears available, inclusive, safe, and that offers opportunities.<\/p>\n No one is born a criminal. Children and youth who have gone astray are our responsibility. If we do not work with and for them, the situation will only worsen, generation after generation.<\/p>\n We all have a role to play. You probably know a young person who needs guidance. Perhaps you can be the one who motivates the person to choose a different path. Change always starts with a first step, and the first step is to show that you care.
\nI grew up in Helsingborg, in an area where crime was almost a natural part of everyday life. Already at the age of twelve, I began to take small steps into that world. By the age of 21, I served my first and last prison sentence, sentenced to 2 years and 4 months for aggravated robbery. It was there, in solitude, that I realized I had lost something invaluable \u2013 contact with my family.
\nFor me, family is everything. When I lost them, I lost my direction. But I decided to turn it around. If I could just do the opposite of everything I had done before, maybe I could win them back. And thus the idea for Trygg R\u00e4tt was born.<\/p>\nTrygg R\u00e4tt \u2013 Preventing crime through Personal Development<\/h4>\n
\nIn 2020, Trygg R\u00e4tt received funding from the European Social Fund via Leader North West Sk\u00e5ne. We worked with 15 young boys who were at risk of going astray in life or had already gone astray. By including them, guiding them, and giving them tools to succeed, we saw all 15 turn their lives around and enter the job market.
\nToday, Trygg R\u00e4tt has also established itself in Gothenburg. We have managed to help 97 out of 125 participants leave crime and instead become a community resource, received several major social awards such as from SEB, Reach for Change, and Botildenborg, and we continue to develop.<\/p>\nWhy is it so difficult to leave crime?<\/h4>\n
This is what I believe in:<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\u2022 We must embrace our youth and show that we believe in them.
\n\u2022 We must motivate, coach, and reward them for taking the right steps.
\n\u2022 And above all, we must involve them in society, give them a sense of participation and meaning.<\/h5>\n
\nI want to end with a question: How do you want to make a difference?<\/h4>\n
\nTogether we can create a society where crime is not an attractive option, but where everyone has a chance to live a life filled with meaning.<\/p>\n