Crime reports decreased from around 18,000 in 2000 to around 10,000 by the end of last year, whilst the number of immigrants has more than doubled. Around 43 percent of the current population of Groruddalen are immigrants, or were born to immigrant parents.

Chief of Stovner police station Espen Aas told NRK, “I think Groruddalen has an undeservedly bad reputation. The media makes it look as though it is completely lawless up here, but it isn’t. On the whole, it’s relatively quiet, even though something or other happens up here too.”

Officer Aas believes that the fall in crime is down to police working with the local community, including schools. He also thinks that the crimes are no longer being committed by residents in the area, but rather by those travelling through.

“People in Groruddalen are really decent. The vast majority are good, law-abiding citizens. There’s a large number of youths and statistically, they are committing fewer crimes than before. You could say the people of Groruddalen have become kinder,” he concludes.

Officials at the Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi) say a lot of work is being undertaken to improve Groruddalen, improving the area amongst many ethnic Norwegians moving out in search of Whiter areas.

Bjerke Upper Secondary School (videregående) came into focus following a subsequently revised practise of dividing classes according to ethnic and non-ethnic Norwegian origins.

Last year, politicians on the Nordic Council Welfare Committee met to discuss immigrant integration, as well as how to stop ghettos forming in residential areas.

Many immigrants have also turned their backs on Norway, travelling back home again after a short period due to the challenges of adapting to the highly institutionalised Norwegian society.

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