Visitationszoner i Sverige - Polisers reflektioner

Sammanfattning: Visitation zones have been a highly debated topic in Sweden for the last couple of years. The right wing parties in Sweden are great supporters of implementing this as a solution for the rising gun violence in the country. Whereas others, especially criminologists, have raised concerns about it being counterproductive. There is little research on the topic of visitation zones, and the research available is partially contradictory, creating a need for further studies.The aim of this study is to investigate Swedish police officers´ perceptions of visitation zones by conducting semi structured interviews. The purpose is furthermore to identify possible positive and negative consequences of visitation zones that the police officers´ envisage. The theoretical framework consists of labelling theory, displacement theory and the theory of policing race and policing space. To further analyse the results of the study previous research on hot spots, danger zones, inspection zones, and social programs were also used. Four out of seven informants were negatively oriented towards implementing visitation zones in Sweden, one was positively oriented, and two were neutral. The positive consequences envisaged by the police officers were the following; it will be easier to search grey zone cases and women as well as minimising the risk of different interpretations of the law regulating visitation zones resulting in a more unanimous assessment throughout the police authority. The negative consequences envisaged by the police officers were the following; a risk that the population in these zones will be labelled as criminals and stigmatised, which can negatively affect their trust in the police. Furthermore the police officers´ identify a risk that visitation zones might act contra-productively and increase crime through a self fulfilling prophecy. The police officers´ also mention a risk of criminals adapting to the visitation zones and through displacement move their crimes.