The Stockholm Prize in Criminology

04/07/2026

& Framsteg – Sweden's leading popular science magazine – interviews Charis Kubrin – the 2026 prize laureate (in Swedish).🇸🇪

11/06/2026

Some more of the interesting presentations we overheard at the 2026 Stockholm Criminology Symposium:

Kelly Lockwood (University of Salford International, 🇬🇧) explored children’s experiences of limited or no contact with an incarcerated parent. Practical barriers, family conflict and self-preservation often restricted contact. The findings highlighted children’s need for information, support and a greater participation in contact decisions to reduce feelings of fear and abandonment. She also highlighted caregivers’ need for greater support when talking to their children about an incarcerated parent.

Karl Kronkvist (Malmö Universitet, 🇸🇪) discussed the role of the private sector and civil society in local crime prevention. The results showed that property owners, security and surveillance companies, and retailers were the most common collaboration partners for municipalities in Sweden. Kronkvist concluded that actors in the private sector represent an important resource for crime prevention initiatives.

Veroni Eichelsheim (Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement and University of Groningen, 🇳🇱) examined signs and signals of child maltreatment and challenges related to their detection. The findings showed that indicators can be identified at child, parent, and family levels, including behavioural changes, emotional difficulties, and problematic family dynamics. She argued that detection is often complicated by unclear signs, denial, and limited knowledge among professionals working with children.

Nathalie Denie (University of Amsterdam / Universiteit van Amsterdam, 🇳🇱) presented research showing different pathways of youth entering criminality and how the process has developed with digitalization and the rise of social media platforms. Denie discussed how existing social ties can draw youth into criminality, but highlighted that their online presence creates new opportunities for youth to connect with organized criminals. She argued that social media can function as a platform for recruitment and access to criminal opportunities.

David Weisburd (George Mason University, 🇺🇲/The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 🇮🇱) discussed the use of agent-based modelling as a tool for testing policing strategies in simulated environments before they are implemented in practice.

David M. Kennedy (John jay college of criminal justice, 🇺🇲) emphasised the importance of focusing on clearly defined crime problems and specific groups of offenders rather than broad system-wide reforms.

Lawrence Sherman (University of Cambridge, 🇬🇧) discussed how evaluation methods and measurement tools influence our understanding of crime and criminal justice outcomes.

Jerzy Sarnecki (Stockholm University, 🇸🇪) raised questions about how evaluation findings are used in practice. He argued that more attention should be given to the actual outcomes of policing, rather than simply measuring police activity or organisational growth.

10/06/2026

Every year on the third day of Stockholm Criminology Symposium a Jerry Lee Lecture is delivered. It is in honor of Jerry Lee, the philanthropist that was instrumental in making both the symposium and the Stockholm Prize in Criminology to become a reality 21 years ago.

The 2026 Jerry Lee Lecture was given by Cynthia Lum, Professor at George Mason University (🇺🇲), Director of its Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy and a former detective of Baltimore.

She discuss the “special sauce” behind institutionalizing evidence-based practices in policing, as revealed by research and experiments in the field. She argues that, for criminologists to continue advancing evidence-based reforms, fieldwork – and its funding – remain essential.

Photo: Brottsförebyggande Rådet (Brå)

09/06/2026

Now Charis E. Kubrin (University of California, Irvine , 🇺🇲) and Mark W. Lipsey (Vanderbilt University , 🇺🇲) has received the 2026 Stockholm Prize in Criminology, as presented by H.M. Queen Silvia of 🇸🇪. Congratulations!

Photo: Johanna Hanno/Brå

09/06/2026

Just like every year, this year's Prizewinners' lecture became one of the peaks at The Stockholm Criminology Symposium.

🎞️See the full lectures at the link in the comments.

Charis Kubrin (University of California, Irvine) made a compelling case for immigration leading to lower community crime rates in many cities in the 🇺🇸, 🇨🇦 and 🇦🇺.

She told how her scientific journey began with her reading an OpEd in The New York Times. She learned that immigration was actually an explanation for crime dropping in many US cities during the 1990's. Contrary to public perception. This understanding "completely fired me up", she said and then presented a strong call for scientific freedom and integrity.

Mark W. Lipsey (Vanderbilt University) provided substantial evidence on the benefits of rehabilitative programs for offenders young and old.

He argued against the "nothing works" theory and presented several methods that do work, such as skill building (especially cognitive behavioral therapy), group counseling, behavior management and mentoring etc.

09/06/2026

Today 9 June at 19:00 CET, the 2026 Stockholm Prize in Criminology will be awarded to Charis E. Kubrin and Mark W. Lipsey at a ceremony followed by a banquet in Stockholm City Hall.

The Prize will be presented by H.M. Queen Silvia.

Watch the live broadcast on this link.

Prize Award Ceremony and Dinner for the 2026 Stockholm Prize in Criminology On Tuesday, 9 June at 18:20, the 2026 Stockholm Prize in Criminology will be awarded to Charis E. Kubrin and Mark W. Lipsey at a ceremony and dinner in Stockholm City Hall. The Prize will be presented by H.M. Queen Silvia. W...

09/06/2026

Highlighting the 2026 laureates, Anne Ramberg (chair of the Stockholm Prize in Criminology Foundation), Jerzy Sarnecki and Lawrence Sherman (co-chairs of the prize jury) today publish an OpEd in Sweden's largest newspaper Aftonbladet.

📰 The article focuses mainly on Lipsey’s research that has demonstrated that effective alternatives to punishment do exist. His work demonstrates that certain forms of intervention have substantial crime-preventive effects, particularly in relation to young offenders.

The effects are particularly strong when:

1️⃣ Interventions are directed towards high-risk young offenders;

2️⃣ Programmes are implemented with high quality and follow a theoretically grounded model;

3️⃣ Treatment includes components such as problem-solving, impulse control and social skills training.

Link to the article (in Swedish) in the comments.

08/06/2026

On the first day sessions at Stockholm Criminology Symposium, Jerzy Sarnecki (Professor Emeritus, Stockholm University, Senior Professor, University of Gävle, and co-chair of the prize jury, 🇸🇪) also presented research on criminal networks in Sweden using a social network analysis approach. The presentation examined how offenders are connected through co-offending and how network structures can provide information that is difficult to identify using other methods.

Drawing on both older and more recent research, Sarnecki discussed how criminal networks have changed over time and explored possible explanations for the increase in shootings and other forms of serious violence. The presentation highlighted that many offenders are connected through fluid and overlapping networks rather than clearly defined gangs, and that network structures can vary considerably depending on the type of criminal activity.

The presentation also discussed how digital communication, encrypted platforms and changing criminal subcultures may influence the development of contemporary criminal networks.

08/06/2026

Riikka Kanervo (Tampere University & Laurea University of Applied Sciences, 🇫🇮) presented research at The Stockholm Criminology Symposium on online romance scams, in which offenders use fabricated identities to create the impression of a genuine intimate relationship. The presentation focused on the emotional, psychological and financial consequences experienced by victims and discussed the limited availability of formal support.

The presentation also addressed how romance scams can intersect with other forms of crime, including investment fraud and sextortion. Drawing on interviews and experiences from the Romance Scam Recovery project, Kanervo discussed victims’ experiences and examined why many continue communication and money transfers despite warning signs.

The presentation further explored how understandings of romance scams can influence prevention efforts and support for victims, and discussed the relationship between romance scams and organized criminal activity.