More people are applying to exit programs to leave crime behind, but only one in ten reach the goals nationally. In Södertälje the share is higher.
Since 2022 the number of approved exit cases has almost tripled. In 2025, 314 people were approved in Sweden, of whom just over twenty took part in Södertälje.
The programs aim for participants to change location, find employment or studies, and work on their thought patterns. Anette Berg, head of exit operations in Södertälje, says support from social services and protection from the police are required.
35-year-old David, who previously sold narcotics, completed the program last year. He says the program gave him the push needed to cut ties with old friends and move to a new town.
In Södertälje 26 percent of participants reached the goals in 2025, compared with 10 percent nationwide. The police distributed just over 70 million kronor to municipal operations during the year.
