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Youth crime is a subject widely discussed in media as well as in the academic field of criminology. One of the topics within the research field of youth crime discusses how to effectively help young people leave a criminal lifestyle behind. It is within this topic that the focus of this essay lies. This qualitative study examines a community based program in the Swedish city of Malmö called Nya Vägvalet (The New Choice of Path, own translation), which works with juvenile delinquents and the issues that surround the youths lifestyle. The aim of the essay is to explore the foundations and methodology of the program, how the methods of the program are put into practice and how these methods compare to what current research findings claim to be effective factors in successful interventions. The empirical data is based on interviews with the two counselors who work with the youth and two young men who have undergone the program. The empirical data also consists of current and historical research findings and literature on the subject. The general conclusion is that the methodology used is in tune with what current research appears to define as successful intervention factors. There are, however, some aspects of the methods used that may not correspond with research findings. These aspects primarily have to do with the implementation of manual-based programs that are used. In summary the work that is carried out at “Nya vägvalet” is, with few exceptions, greatly supported by both theoretical and practical findings in the literature reviewed as well as, and maybe most importantly, by the two young men who were interviewed.

The purpose of the study was to find out if the influential arrangements that is given to convicted delinquents between 15-17 years old is practised because they have evidence or if it is based on other grounds. The research questions were answered with the help of a questionnaire and interviews. The questionnaire was sent to all 290 local authorities whereof 52 answered the questions. The result indicated difficulties to get information regarding which arrangements that is being used, the local authorities have various ways of working and the programs and/or routines they use make it hard to access statistics. The most common influential arrangements were programs made by the local authorities themselves, which brings difficulties with the evidence of treatment effects. Interviews were carried out with three persons from social services who work with delinquents. The results showed that the choices were made on the basis of guidelines if there were any available, otherwise out of a feeling or experience. The conclusion was that there often seems to be a consideration regarding the evidence of treatment effects when arrangements are chosen, but that the choice many times still occur based on other premisses. / Studiens syfte var att utröna om de påverkande insatser som erläggs dömda ungdomsbrottslingar 15-17 år används för att de har evidens eller om valet vilar på andra grunder. Forskningsfrågorna besvarades med hjälp av enkät och intervjuer. Enkäten skickades till samtliga Sveriges 290 kommuner varav 52 svarade på frågorna. Resultatet visade på svårigheter att få tillförlitlig information om vilka insatser som används, kommunerna arbetar olika och de program och/eller rutiner som används gör det svårt att ta fram statistik. De vanligast förekommande påverkansinsaterna var egenkomponerade program, vilket medför svårigheter med kontroll av evidensen. Intervjuer utfördes med tre personer från socialtjänsten som arbetar med unga lagöverträdare. Resultatet visade att valet baseras på riktlinjer där sådana finns, annars tas egna beslut utifrån känsla och erfarenhet. Slutsatsen blev att det många gånger finns en tanke kring evidens när insatser ska väljas, men att valet ändå ofta sker på andra premisser.