Prevention of extremism in Denmark
The Danish approach to prevention is based on several rationales and legislations:
- Preventing violence and other crime, as described in the penal code and other legislation.
- Protecting democracy, fundamental freedoms and human rights, as provided by the Public Information Act, the Act on a National Prohibition List of Undesirable Funding and other legislations
- Ensuring social well-being of individuals, as provided by social legislation.
- Safeguarding working and learning environments, as provided by legislation in this field.
- Democratic formation, as provided by the legislations governing schools and youth educations.
These different rationales and legislations provide the basis for a broad, cross-sectoral cooperation involving local, regional and national authorities.
Thus, concerns on persons at risk of being involved in extremism are handled locally in a multi-agency crime preventive collaboration called the Info-house. These build on the provision the Administration of Justice Act to share information in crime preventive collaborations such as SSP (schools, social services and police), PSP (psychiatry, social services and police) and KSP (prison and probation service, social services and police).
Read more about the Danish Info-houses
Not least the municipalities have a significant responsibility, enshrined, inter alia, in social and educational legislation, and many municipalities have developed comprehensive action plans for prevention.
Read more about municipal action plans for prevention of extremism
The broader efforts to promote resilience, civic citizenship and mutual respect amongst the general population is carried out in the daily life of schools, day care and other basic institutions, which endeavour to give children and youngsters democratic, critical and social competencies – and hence recilience towards developing risk behaviour.
At the national all level the local prevention structures are supported by national authorities such as the National Police, The Security and Intelligence Service (PET), the Prison and Probation Service, Centre for Documentation and Counter Extremism and the Board for Education and Quality (STUK).
Read more about the tasks and responsibilities of the Centre for Documentation and Counter Extremism