Leif G.W. Persson
Biography
Leif G.W. Persson, born on March 12, 1945, in Stockholm, is a Swedish criminologist and author, best known for his crime novels and media appearances.
He grew up in Gärdet, Stockholm, and later moved to Valhallavägen. After graduating from Norra Real, he studied at Stockholm University from 1965 and earned his Ph.D. in sociology in 1980, focusing on statistical measurement problems in criminology. In 1982, he became an associate professor and, in 1991, a professor of criminology specializing in police methods.
Between 1967 and 1977, he worked as an expert for the National Police Board. He was involved in revealing that National Police Commissioner Carl Persson had sent a memo to Prime Minister Olof Palme about Justice Minister Lennart Geijer’s involvement with prostitutes, which became the "Geijeraffären." As a result, Persson lost his job at the National Police Board. His experiences inspired his debut novel, Grisfesten.
He taught at Stockholm University and was a full professor in criminology from 1991 to 2012. He also served as an expert for the Ministry of Justice, focusing on smuggling crimes. He supported journalist Per Lindeberg in research that led to the 1999 book Döden är en man, about the 1984 styckmordet i Solna. Persson also created an offender profile for the case.
In 2007, he was criticized for not publishing academic research or supervising doctoral students, though he argued that his work had been presented in reports and investigations. In 2008, he announced his resignation from the National Police Board, criticizing the appointment of Bengt Svenson as Rikspolischef. Despite initial resistance, he was later asked to stay on.
Persson co-created the TV show Grabbarna på Fagerhult with Jan Guillou and published related cookbooks like Grabbarnas Kokbok. From 1998 to 2010, he appeared as a criminology expert on Efterlyst. He briefly left the show in 2006 but returned the following season. In 2010, he left Efterlyst to co-host Veckans brott on SVT with Camilla Kvartoft.
His crime novels, often referred to as En roman om ett brott, feature characters like Evert Bäckström, Bo Jarnebring, and Lars Martin Johansson. In 2012, 20th Century Fox acquired the rights to his books about Evert Bäckström, including Linda – som i Lindamordet and Den som dödar draken. After CBS rejected the pilot, Fox produced Backstrom in 2015, starring Rainn Wilson as a Portland, Oregon, detective.
Persson was married to Birgitta Liedstrand (1968–1980), Margareta Jönsson (1987–2002), and since 2003 to Kim Olsson. He lives in Solna and rents a hunting estate near Gnesta. He had his first son at 20, followed by three daughters, including author Malin Persson Giolito.
Known for
Skavlan
Skavlan is a Norwegian-Swedish television talk show hosted by Norwegian journalist Fredrik Skavlan. It premiered in Sweden on Sveriges Television in January 2009, and the first guests to appear on the show were former Prime Minister of Sweden Göran Persson and his wife Anitra Steen. On 8 May 2009, it was announced that Skavlan had been renewed for a second season. It was also announced that the show would no longer only be produced by SVT in Sweden; Skavlan would now be partly produced in Norway by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. The first twelve episodes of Skavlan's second season were produced by SVT in Sweden, and the remaining twelve by NRK in Norway.
Skavlan speaks Norwegian and his dialog is therefore subtitled in Swedish in Sweden, even though the two languages are quite similar and mutually intelligible. If the persons being interviewed by Skavlan are Swedish, he often tells them to let him know if they do not understand what he is saying. Swedish novelist Jan Guillou has criticized SVT for subtitling the program, stating "there is no need for that. If the host had been Danish, subtitling would have been necessary, but with a Norwegian host it does not make any sense."
Efterlyst
Efterlyst is a Swedish TV program, equivalent of America's Most Wanted. The show plays security camera footage, reconstructions of crimes, and then takes calls and tips from the Swedish public. Efterlyst has since its start gotten many leads that have led to the arrest of many of Sweden's most noted criminals. In Swedish prisons, Efterlyst is commonly referred to as "Golartimmen", literally meaning "Snitch-hour".
The host, Hasse Aro, was, until the season of 2009, assisted by crime-expert Leif G W Persson. From the 2010 season he is assisted by former State Police Chief Tommy Lindström. Since 2011 he is assisted by Jens Lapidus and Thomas Bodström. In the 2012 season only Thomas Bodström will assist as expert commentator.
Renées brygga
TV presenter invites Swedish celebrities and interesting personalities to her summer island in the Stockholm Archipelago for an evening filled with food, drink, laughs and emotion. She interviews her guests about their career, life and dreams, trying to learn new things about them.
Veckans brott
"Crime of the Week" - is a crime show featuring criminal expert Leif G.W. Persson. The show discusses and tells stories about both cold cases and current crimes.
Sommarmord
Leif GW Persson embarks on a journey through time and space to take a closer look at some Swedish murders.
Helikopterrånet
Documentary series about the robbery of the G4S safe deposit box in Västberga on September 23, 2009. How exactly it happened, who was behind it and who actually carried it out are questions that still do not have a satisfactory answer to this day. Here is a detailed review of the entire case, with voices from investigators, victims, witnesses and the media.
Jorden runt på 6 steg
Filip & Fredrik throw themselves out on a journey across the earth to test the theory that no two people on earth is longer than six people apart. Without using their own contacts, the guys manage to reach a famous person in six steps. Without using their own contacts shall see whether it is possible to get from a stranger in a distant country to a famous person on the six stages - Gordon Ramsay, Buzz Aldrin and Leif GW Persson. The journeys take them to unexpected places, people and meetings that no one would have imagined, least of all themselves. There will be three improbable journeys that take Filip & Fredrik six continents, 32 different locations and a total of three times around the earth.
Engelska mord
In "Engelska mord", Leif GW Persson travels to England to take a closer look at some of the most famous murder cases in British criminal history.
GW:s mord
GW:s mord is a Swedish crime program. In the program, Leif G.W. Persson takes a look at well-known criminal cases, which he describes and analyzes in detail.
Historiska brott
Historiska brott - depicts 16 major Swedish cases 1963-1988, including the Caterine da Costa-case, the attack of the West -German embassy , the Girls murders and the hijacking at Bulltofta airport.
Palmemördaren
On June 10, 2020, the 34-year-old Palme Inquiry was closed down because the investigators could not "get around" Skandiaman, Stig Engström. Here, the prosecutor's accusations and allegations about Stig Engström are examined.
Thomas Quick
Previously believed to have been a serial killer, having confessed to more than 30 murders while incarcerated in a mental institution for personality disorders. Convicted of eight of these murders.
TV3 aired a documentary that exposed serious flaws with the Quick investigation.