Draft:Gosta Detterborg

Gösta Detterborg

Gösta Detterborg

Gösta Detterborg (31 May 1908 – 9 August 1978) was a social worker, whose efforts created new programs in the criminal justice and reform system in Sweden. His initiatives and work to implement these programs influenced the treatment of adult criminals and is still part of the current corrections society in Scandanavia. Detterborg developed a program for transitional housing (“halfway house”) focused on released prisoners; a clinic with both medical and mental help for adult criminals; and other forms of assistance to help convicts and their families to reestablish themselves in the society.

Detterborg was the director (byråföreståndare) of the Gothenburg office of Skyddsvärnet^[1] (translation: “association for protection”), a private organization whose prime purpose is to provide help to criminals on probation or released on parole. Services also include assistance to the families of these individuals, all in order to help them return to a normal life without crime.

Detterborg was also appointed to one of three civil positions in Gothenburg as a mediator in marital disputes (in addition to mediations performed by the clergy in the Church of Sweden; mediation before divorce was mandatory through 1973). His mediation skills were much appreciated, and annually he performed more mediations than the clergy and the other civil mediators together.

Detterborg was an active member of the Liberal Party (Folkpartiet).^[2]

Biography

Bengt Gösta Valdemar Svensson was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, the son of Bengt Svensson, an employee of a brewery, and Svea Kristina Svensson (née Larsson), a proprietor of a shop providing ironing services. The State of Sweden encouraged private citizens to change common surnames like those ending in “son” to uncommon names to avoid confusion in recognizing persons with the same names. Gösta selected “Detterborg” as his new surname before his marriage in 1943 to Inga Maj Estella Hagman.

Gösta and Inga Maj had two daughters, Lottie and Kerstin, and he lived to meet his first grandchildren, Christina, Lottie’s daughter, and Eskil and Katarina, Kerstin’s children.

Of his three siblings, an older sister and a younger brother died as children. Only his younger sister Clairy survived to adulthood.

Gösta attended the public school during the mandatory 7 years. During the school breaks he worked as a shepherd on farms outside Gothenburg. At age 14 he had to start working in order to help provide support to his family and the education of his younger sister. He found employment as an office boy at Skyddsvärnet.

He advanced to become an assistant, involved in the actual work of the organization; later on, he achieved a position as one of “first assistants” or deputies in the office. He worked as first assistant until the retirement of the director, Konrad Ekström, of the organization.

While assistant at Skyddsvärnet,^[3] he and Mr. Ekström, bought a duplex, where Detterborg’s family and Mr. Ekström lived until his death.

Detterborg was appointed director of Skyddsvärnet in 195X and his position became extended to include the role of public social consultant (skyddskonsulent) in 196X. Detterborg retired from Skyddsvärnet in both his private and public positions in 1976 after 54 years of service to the organization.

Military Service

Although a ruptured appendicitis normally would have eliminated young soldiers from military service, Detterborg's writing skills were so appreciated that he was assigned yardbird duty as secretary to those in command of his military unit. He did serve his repetitive months as a regular Repmånad [compulsory military training]^[4]

Professional Career

Skyddsvärnet is an organization originally initiated by Crown Prince Oscar, later King Oscar I ^[5], who, in the mid 18th century promoted a criminal rehabilitation system, where convicted criminals would be allowed to consider their crimes and reintegration into society. In the early 19th century organizations to assist the “lost and defenseless” were begun. The association “Föreningen Skyddsvärnet Göteborg” was founded 6 November 1914. The bylaws of the association state that the principal functions of the organization are to conduct preliminary investigations to determine whether persons were entitled to probationary judgements; and to work to assist those in need, in particular the poor, parolees, and persons on probation. The association worked closely with other organization to minimize alcohol abuse, regularly connected to poverty and asocial behavior.

Gösta Detterborg

Detterborg was hired at age 14 as an office boy in 1922. He advanced quickly, as he understood the mission of the agency and was able to assist in many of the tasks as a clerk. He was a good writer and had learned typing and therefore could write reports and letters for the agency. He ended up being a legendary byråföreståndare (bureau director) of the association, and his contributions to the social work in Sweden lives on.

Through his work, especially working with parolees, he became concerned that so many of them were released without a place and family to return to, and often they had no prospect of finding immediate employment. They would often spend the little money they had after their release on liquor and often falling back into patterns and lifestyles similar to those they had before their criminal convictions. Detterborg developed a plan to establish a boarding/halfway house, where parolees could live for a short time in an environment similar to a home, while they worked on finding employment and permanent housing.

Detterborg established a good working relationship with the association’s secretary (1930-1942) and chairman (1942–1966), Herman Baagøe, mayor of the city of Gothenburg (1957-1962), and former judge. Detterborg and Baagøe collaborated on a program, funding and approval for a boarding/halfway house. This was the first transitional housing project in Sweden and became the model for other locations in the country.

The first residential unit was established in the same building as the Sociala Huset managed by a live-in couple experienced in social work. The “home” intended to resemble a normal living unit, with private individual rooms and common areas. The inhabitants could participate in some social activities including watching TV together. The clients were employed and left for work each day. The building housed activities focused on helping released prisoners reintegrate into society. This included counseling, group therapy, and housing support. Most clients moved into traditional housing after their stay.

Detterborg was committed to on-going efforts to improve conditions and services for rehabilitation in Sweden. The ongoing collaborations between Detterborg and Baagøe continued, and their efforts were the backbone for the development of the boarding/halfway houses, hotels and clinics that became instrumental in Swedish attitude, conditions and policy to assist in rehabilitation and social reintegration for former inmates.

Evidence of this work is captured in notes cited by Detterborg in an Activity Report in 1967: Detterborg authored a report highlighting systemic issues in Sweden’s criminal justice and rehabilitation system, particularly the inability of released prisoners to register residence in a new location, which hindered their reintegration. He advocated for relocation opportunities for former inmates to help them start new in healthier environments. Detterborg was actively involved in policy critique and reform advocacy, aiming to improve the structural conditions for rehabilitation and social reintegration.

Later Skyddsvärnet expanded its operations for a few years with short-term living facilities in a former hotel. Skyddsvärnet survives today as Skyddsvarnet Goteborg, operating, transition ("halfway") housing for clients leaving prison, youth centers, women's shelters, employment programs and job training for both youth and adults, a social-medical clinic with psychologists, psychiatrists, and roughly 60 apartments around Gothenburg and surrounding areas. Skyddsvarnet 100 has agreements with Swedish Prison and Probation Service, City of Gothenburg, and about 20 other municipalities.

During the 2015 refugee crisis, they launched a crisis reception center in collaboration with child and adolescent psychiatry and refugee health services. Between 2015–2020, volunteers held over 3,500 therapy sessions with around 200 asylum-seeking youths.

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(insert Detterborg’s statements)

Hotel, clinic

Memberships, Honors and Awards

Member and conference participant in the Nordiska Kriminalistföreningen. Recipient of the Karl Staff silver medal in 1978. Awarded the Kungliga Patriotiska Sällskapet gold medal in the 1970s, for long and faithful (meritorious) service. Vem är vem (Who’s Who) various editions.

Kungliga Patriotiska Sällskapet

Speaker(Inledningstalare): Kriminalpolitiska sällskapet, Gothenburg, 20 March, 1959.

Om Skyddsvärnets inackorderingshem i Göteborg (About Skyddsvärnet’s Transitional Home in Gothenburg)

Bibliography: Skyddsvärnet i Göteborg – 100 år av verksamhet (2014)

1. Skyddsvarnet, Skyddsvarnet. "Skyddsvarnet". https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyddsv%C3%A4rnet. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
2. Folkpartiet. "Folkpartiet". Wikipedia.
3. Skyddsvarnet 100, Skyddsvarnet 100. "Skyddsvarnet 100". Facebook.
4. Repmanad. "Repmanad".
5. Oscar, King. "King Oscar I". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_I_of_Sweden. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)