Jale Poljarevius shows young people what criminal gangs don't want them to see

Organized crime is an accelerating challenge to our society. The number of shootings continues to reach high levels and in January 2025 alone, Sweden suffered 37 bombings. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the perpetrators are getting younger: recently, 113 children aged 15 to 17 were detained on suspicion of various forms of violent crime.

“Young people of today are exposed to large amounts of information on several different arenas. Unfortunately, criminal gangs are also active there aiming to recruit new members, often at very young ages. Therefore, it is necessary that we tell our children and young people about the risks they might face. Here the police have a priority responsibility to raise awareness of the dangers that exist and how to avoid them,W says Jale Poljarevius, Police commissioner and Head of Intelligence, who will meet with Uppsala high school students in November when Kunskap För Livet returns to the University Grand Auditorium.

As gang members get younger, they are also exposed to radicalization. Many grow up in a social context where gang mentality and crime is met with appreciation and respect. In the records of the detained young people, weapons offenses, violent crimes and murder are recurring categories. To receive a longer prison sentence can give hero status, and when a famous gangster rapper was asked how long the violence will continue, his answer was "until everyone dies". But there are other and far better exits.

“The window widens when we detain persons who have key positions in networks and weaken their organization. We are also working continuously to create room for young people who are already within the gang world to step out. At Kunskap För Livet, my aim is to give the teens a clearer picture of what crime actually looks like, tools to reflect on what they might actually encounter online and the support society offers to those who have gone astray and want to get back on the right track,” says Jale Poljarevius.

Kunskap För Livet is a new meeting place where Uppsala's high school students, their teachers and a selection of experts meet to chart the course towards a sustainable lifestyle. Ahead of the premiere in November 2024, all 1,550 seats were booked within hours. In the auditorium, 8 out of 10 young people stated that they were sure that they would have practical use for everything they learned – and preparations are currently underway to create a program that will provide inspiration and knowledge to take the next step along the road to a better future.

“Knowledge for Life is our answer to all the alarm reports about young people’s habits and health. We want to give them the tools to change the habits they are better off without, both on their own and together. The response from the schools is fantastic, and without having yet presented our full program, we already have 800 registered students. This confirms how important these issues are, and I cannot emphasize enough how much we are looking forward to meet Uppsala’s young people again when we return to the Grand Auditorium on Monday 24 November,” says Mathias Hallberg, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy.

Text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt