Gang policy
Holistic approach, prevention, and employment
Status
As Denmark's third-largest city, Odense is a key player in the national effort to combat organized crime, including gang and biker-related issues. Gangs create insecurity and undermine the very foundation of society.
A large number of members from these groups are outside the labor market and support themselves through illegal activities alongside receiving public benefits, which undermines both their own future and the welfare system of society.
At the same time, the municipality faces a growing problem with young children being recruited by criminals to carry out
tasks for payment in various forms. This prevents them from developing a healthy understanding of what a good and meaningful life is.
Needs and challenges
Odense faces several significant challenges, including:
- A lucrative market for illicit drugs fuels both financial growth and conflict between the groups
- Many individuals involved in the gang environment are unemployed, resulting in them receiving public assistance while simultaneously generating income through crime.
- There is a continuous recruitment of young people into gangs, especially in vulnerable housing areas. To break this cycle, a proactive effort is required to prevent these young people from getting caught up in a life of crime.
Summary
Liberal Alliance wants to not only react to problems, but also prevent them.
It is not just about punishing criminals, but about creating solutions that empower individuals to break free from the grip of crime. We will therefore focus on a holistic approach where prevention, employment, and collaboration with the business community and civil society are central elements. We must make it easier to choose a new and better path away from the gangs. Odense Municipality must create the framework to make this happen.
Political proposals regarding gang activity
- Increased control of social benefits: We must ensure that criminals do not exploit social benefits while making money from crime. A system should be established that makes it easier to identify abuse of the welfare system and actively work to stop it.
- Collaboration with the business community on employment: We must strengthen the collaboration between the municipality and the business community so that former criminals have better opportunities to get a job and leave crime behind. Mentorship schemes and internships should be part of the effort to create lasting changes in the individual's life.
- Focus on early intervention and forced adoption/removal as a last resort: Children growing up in families marked by crime and intergenerational patterns must receive greater attention early on if there is a risk of them being recruited into the gang environment. We must put the best interests of the child first and give them the best possible opportunities for a positive future, away from crime. As part of this effort, the municipality must play a more preventive role and, as a last resort, make use of forced removal of children.
- Returning leisure clubs to the local communities: In youth and leisure clubs, children and young people can meet with peers for various activities. It is an effective tool where vulnerable youth can engage with positive role models who can demonstrate an alternative path to a criminal career.
- Holistic crime prevention effort: SSP needs to be rethought, and a unified crime prevention unit must be established in Odense Municipality to coordinate efforts across social, employment, and police sectors. This unit should utilize methods such as "Signs of Safety" to identify risks and support families in breaking negative patterns. Collaboration with the Funen Police (Fyns Politi) must be intensified to ensure an effective response at both the preventive and interventional levels.