Implementing Focused Deterrence for Intimate Partner Violence: The SRFV Project in Malmö

Focused deterrence-based strategies have been implemented in the United States since the mid-1990s, and the evidence base of their effect on serious crime is growing. Focused deterrence, also referred to as pulling levers, directs attention to the most violent members of a community, and conveys a clear message that violence will be met by swift and severe consequences and that those who want to leave criminality will receive help and support to do so. The strategy shifts focus from the victim to the perpetrator. The most violent, or those at risk of committing repeated crimes in a close relationship are identified and divided into groups (A–D) based on the severity of their crime. These individuals are informed that they are identified as (potential) perpetrators of violence in an intimate relationship and that future incidents of violence will be met with different types of sanctions. At the same time, support is offered to stop the violence, while support is also offered to the victim. This approach has been tried to prevent intimate partner violence to a limited extent before and is now being implemented in Malmö, Sweden. This paper will describe the initial phases of the process of implementing the strategy.