It is the police officers’ favorite proposal against crime, according to a new survey.

“I am not surprised,” says Lena Nitz, chairman of the Police Association.

Crime is the voters’ most important election issue, according to a recent report from the SOM Institute at the University of Gothenburg. This is the first election campaign in which the issue is at the top since 1979.

Sweden is heading for a record year when it comes to fatal shootings, and there is a vigorous campaign to tackle crime. Magdalena Andersson (S) will “turn over every stone” and Ulf Kristersson’s (M) motto is “Now we get order in Sweden.”

The police union has commissioned a Novus survey in which the members had to answer which political proposals they consider necessary, and not necessary, to reduce crime.

“We see that there are many criminal policy proposals from the politicians. Then we think it is important to listen to the profession, and the police officers who, despite a lack of resources and with an increasingly complex crime trend, work to create a safer society,” says Lena Nitz, president of the Police Association.

Longer sentences, more deportations
The four proposals that are considered the most important are all about convicted criminals having to be off the streets for a longer period of time than is happening today.

73 percent of those who answered want to remove the “quantity discount,” so that longer sentences are imposed in case of multiple crimes.
66 percent want to abolish automatic release after two thirds of the sentence.
64 percent want to abolish the “youth discount” for those who have turned 18.
64 percent want to increase the deportation of foreign nationals convicted of crimes.
It is thought that the penalty must be in better proportion to what crime victims are exposed to and what damage society suffers, according to Lena Nitz.

“We have a frustration from our members that you see some serious criminals, but also people who commit mass crimes in large numbers, if I may say so, who will soon be out on the streets again,” says Lena Nitz.

When it comes to young criminals, 60 percent want to strengthen cooperation between schools, social services, the police and leisure activities.