Context matters: lessons from the implementation of SafeGrowth in Sweden

Abstract This article highlights how context matters in the implementation of a crime prevention initiative, exemplified by the implementation of the SafeGrowth method at Drottninghög, Helsingborg, Sweden. Drottninghög is the first area in Europe where SafeGrowth has been implemented, and the article is based on a report of the implementation process. The report, published in 2022, was based on qualitative material collected during the implementation of SafeGrowth between 2021 and 2022. The learnings from the report have been re-analysed using content analysis, with a specific focus on contextual matters. In the results, we present six identified contextual matters that are of general interest, namely: educational context, theoretical context, juridical context, issues of moving between different crime-contexts, place context and organizational context. The first two matters are closely connected to the SafeGrowth method, and the latter four are more generic in crime preventive work.