Jag är poliskommissarien som blev kriminologiprofessor. Jag tog min polisexamen vid Polishögskolan 2004 och disputerade i sociologi vid Stockholms universitet 2016. Jag utsågs till professor i kriminologi vid Högskolan i Gävle 2022 och är sedan 2025 professor i kriminologi vid Södertörns högskola.

Min forskning handlar främst om kriminella samarbeten, såsom organiserad brottslighet, kriminell ekonomi och våldsbejakande extremism. Bland annat försöker jag, tillsammans med vårt forskarlag, systematiskt undersöka och förstå hur kriminella samarbeten uppstår, upprätthålls och samspelar med varandra, samt hur livsförloppen för de individer som ingår eller har ingått i dessa miljöer ser ut. Vi använder oss av omfattande longitudinella svenska registerdata om bland annat brott, demografi, hälsa och företagsengagemang, samt analysmetoder såsom nätverksanalys, ekonometriska modeller och systematiska riskfaktoröversikter.

Jag är även ledamot av the Homeland Security Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), affilierad forskare vid Institutet för framtidsstudier och Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience, Rutgers University, samt innehar ett Distinguished Fellowship vid University of Ottawa Professional Development Institute i Kanada.

Publications

PEER-REVIEW ARTICLES

• Sarnecki, J., Beckley, A. L., Wikman, S., Westfelt, L., Lilja, M., Mondani, H., Bäcklin, E., & Rostami, A. (2025). Changes in Immigrant Population Prevalence and High Violent Crime Rates in Swedish Municipalities. Journal of International Migration and Integration. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-024-01221-1
• Padyab, M., Padyab, A., Rostami, A., & Ghazinour, M. (2024). Cybercrime in Nordic countries: A scoping review on demographic, socioeconomic, and technological determinants. SN Social Sciences.4, 205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-024-00990-x
• Mellgren, C., Rostami, A., Gerell, M., Sturup, J., Hartvigsson, T., Munthe, C., Bring, J., Hellberg, U., Johnsson, A. K., Fundell, S., & Sundell, K. (2024). Psychosocial Interventions Preventing Gang-Related Crime Among Young People: A Systematic Review. Research on Social Work Practice,. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315241305779
• Rodermong, E. & Rostami, A., (2024). Strengths and Weaknesses of Using Register Data to Study Extremism and Terrorism. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism.
• Dawson, L., Rostami, A., Mondani, H., Harris-Hogan, S. & Amarasingam, A. (2024). A comparative analysis of Canadian and Swedish foreign fighters. Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression. https://doi.org/10.1080/19434472.2024.2333954
• Dawson, L., Rostami, A. & Mondani, H. (2024). Violent extremism in the hinterland of the ‘War on Terror’. Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression. https://doi.org/10.1080/19434472.2024.2333948
• Lilford, R. D., Hossain, I., Dahlberg, M., Wahlgren, C.-M., Bellander, B.-M., Rostami, A., Günther, M., Bartek, J., & Rostami, E. (2023). Increased incidence and mortality of civilian penetrating traumatic brain injury in Sweden: A single centre registry-based study. World Neurosurgery. 182, (493-505). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2023.11.129
• Renberg, M., Dahlberg, M., Gellerfors, M., Rostami, A., Günther, M., & Rostami, E. (2023). Prehospital transportation of severe penetrating trauma victims in Sweden during the past decade: A police business? Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 31(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-023-01112-x
• Rostami, A., Mondani, H., Carlsson, C., Sarnecki, J., Edling, C., & Sturup, J. (2022). Lone threats: A register-based study of Swedish lone actors. International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 48(1), 75–94.
• Mondani, H., & Rostami, A. (2022). Criminal nomads: The role of multiple memberships in the criminal collaboration network between Hells Angels MC and Bandidos MC. Global Crime, 23(2), 193–215.
• Günther, M., Dahlberg, M., Rostami, A., Azadali, A., Arborelius, U. P., Linder, F., & Rostami, E. (2021). Incidence, Demographics, and Outcomes of Penetrating Trauma in Sweden During the Past Decade. Frontiers in Neurology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.730405.
• Mondani H. and Rostami A. (2022). Uncovering the degree of criminal organization: Swedish street gangs and the role of mobility and co-offending networks. Social Science Research, 103: 102657. https://doi.org/1016/j.ssresearch.2021.102657.
• Rostami, A., & Askanius, T. (2021). State Surveillance of Violent Extremism and Threats of White Supremacist Violence in Sweden. Surveillance & Society, 19(3), 369–373.
• Gerell, M., Sturup, J., Magnusson, M.-M., Nilvall, K., Khoshnood, A., & Rostami, A. (2021). Open drug markets, vulnerable neighbourhoods and gun violence in two Swedish cities. Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, 16(3), 223–244.
• Sturup, J., Gerell, M., & Rostami, A. (2020). Explosive violence: A near-repeat study of hand grenade detonations and shootings in urban Sweden. European Journal of Criminology, 17(5), 661–677.
• Carlsson, C., Rostami, A., Mondani, H., Sturup, J., Sarnecki, J., & Edling, C. (2020). A Life-Course Analysis of Engagement in Violent Extremist Groups. British Journal of Criminology, 60(1), 74–92.
• Rostami, A., Sturup, J., Mondani, H., Thevselius, P., Sarnecki, J., & Edling, C. (2020). The Swedish Mujahideen: An exploratory study of 41 Swedish foreign fighters deceased in Iraq and Syria. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 43(5), 382–395.
• Sturup, J., Rostami, A., Gerell, M., & Sandholm, A. (2018). Near-repeat shootings in contemporary Sweden 2011 to 2015. Security Journal, 31(1), 73–92.
• Sturup, J., Rostami, A., Mondani, H., Gerell, M., Sarnecki, J., & Edling, C. (2019). Increased Gun Violence Among Young Males in Sweden: A Descriptive National Survey and International Comparison. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 25(4), 365–378.
• Rostami, A. (2017). Street-gang violence in Sweden is a growing concern. Sociologisk Forskning, 54(4), 365–368.
• Rostami, A., Mondani, H., Liljeros, F., & Edling, C. (2018). Criminal organizing applying the theory of partial organization to four cases of organized crime. Trends in Organized Crime, 21(4), 315–342.
• Rostami, A., & Mondani, H. (2019). Organizing on two wheels: Uncovering the organizational patterns of Hells Angels MC in Sweden. Trends in Organized Crime, 22(1), 34–50.
• Rostami, A., & Mondani, H. (2015). The Complexity of Crime Network Data: A Case Study of Its Consequences for Crime Control and the Study of Networks. PLoS ONE, 10(3), 1–20.
• Rostami, A., Melde, C., & Holgerssson, S. (2014). “The myth of success: the emergence and maintenance of a specialized gang unit in Stockholm, Sweden.” The International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 39(3):199-217.
• Rostami, A., & F. Leinfelt,. & S, Holgersson. (2012). ”An Exploratory Analysis of Swedish Street Gangs: Applying the Maxson and Klein Typology to a Swedish Gang Dataset.” Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice 28(4): 426-445.
• Rostami, A., & F. Leinfelt,. D, Brotherton. (2012). ”Understanding Gang Leaders: Characteristics and Driving Forces of Street Gang Leaders in Sweden.” Free Inquiry in Creative Sociology 40(2):1–20.

BOOKS & EDITOR FOR CONTRIBUTED VOLUMES

• Rostami, A. & Edling, C. (2024). Violent Extremism: A Nordic Outlook. Lexington Books.
• Forkby, T., Alstam, K., Gunnarson, C., Rostami, A., & Wahlgren, P. (2023). Brottspreventivt arbetet i särskilt utsatta områden [Crime prevention work in particularly vulnerable areas]. Lund: Studentlitteratur.
• Rostami, A. & Sarnecki, J (2022). Det svenska tillståndet: En antalogi om Brottsutveckling i Sverige. [The Swedish condition: An Anthology of the Development of Crime in Sweden]. Lund: Studentlitteratur.
• Edling, C., & Rostami, A. (Eds.). (2016). Våldsbejakande extremism: En Forskarantologi [Violent extremism and organized crime in Sweden]. SOU 2017:67. Stockholm: Regeringskansliet.
• Edling, C., & Rostami, A. (Eds.). (2016). Våldets sociala simension: Individ, Relation, Organisation [The social dimension of violence: Individual, relationship, organization]. Lund: Studentlitteratur.
• Leinfelt, F., & Rostami, A. (Eds.). (2012). The Stockholm gang model PANTHER: Stockholm Gang Intervention & Prevention Project, 2009-2012. Stockholm: Polismyndigheten i Stockholms län (Stockholm County Police).

BOOK CHAPTERS

• Mondani, H., & Rostami, A. (2023). Criminal nomads: The role of multiple memberships in the criminal collaboration network between Hells Angels MC and Bandidos MC. In D. Décary-Hétu & R. Boivin (Eds.), The Criminology of Carlo Morselli—Part II (Reprint). Routledge. https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-43005
• Rostami, A. (2023). Organiserad brottslighet, våldbejakande extremism och polisiärt arbete. In G. Larsson, S. Sorgenfrei, & T. Viklund (Eds.), Religion, migration och polisiärt arbete (2nd ed.). Studentlitteratur AB. https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-42979
• Sarnecki, J, & Rostami, A. (2022). Det svenska tillståndet: Summering och analys [The Swedish state of affairs: Summary and analysis] In Rostami, A. & Sarnecki, J. (eds) Det Svenska Tillståndet: En Antalogi om Brottsutveckling i Sverige. [The Swedish state: An Anthology of the Development of Crime in Sweden]. (pp.443-466) Lund: Studentlitteratur.
• Mondani, H, & Rostami, A. (2022). ‘Samarbete i brott: Organiserad Brottslighet i Sverige 1995–2015 [Cooperation in crime: Organized crime in Sweden 1995–2015]. In Rostami, A. & Sarnecki, J. (eds) Det Svenska Tillståndet: En Antalogi om Brottsutveckling i Sverige. [The Swedish state: An Anthology of the Development of Crime in Sweden]. (pp.269-308) Lund: Studentlitteratur.
• Rostami, A., & Appelgren, G., (2021). Case Södertälje. In Ghazinour, M., & Eriksson, M. (eds) Polisiärt Arbete i Utsatta Områden [Police Work in Vulnerable Areas] (pp.41-74). Lund: Studentlitteratur.
• Rostami, A., & Ghazinour, M., (2021). Utsatta områden och brottslighet [Vulnerable areas and crime]. In Ghazinour, M., & Eriksson, M. (eds) Polisiärt Arbete i Utsatta Områden [Police Work in Vulnerable Areas] (pp.29-40). Lund: Studentlitteratur.
• Rostami, A. (2020). De överlappande hoten: Organiserad brottslighet och våldsbejakande extremism och dess konsekvenser för det polisiära arbetet [The overlapping threats: Organized crime and violent extremism and its consequences for police work.]. In Larsson,G. & Sorgenfrei, S. (eds) Migration, Religion och Polisiärt Arbete [Migration, Religion, and Police Work] (pp.141-162). Lund: Studentlitteratur.
• Rostami, A. (2019). Organiserad brottslighet och våldsbejakande extremism som antagonistiska hot [Organized crime and violent extremism as antagonistic threats]. In Häggström, H. & Brun, H. (eds) Antagonistiska Hot och Dess Påverkan på Lokalsamhället [Antagonistic Threats and Their Impact on the Local Community] (pp.33-46). Stockholm: Försvarshögskolan.
• Ahrne, G., & Rostami, A. (2019). How is ‘Organized Crime’ Organized? In Ahrne, G. & Brunsson, N. (eds) Organization outside Organizations (pp.253-270). Cambridge: Cambridge University.
• Gunnarson, C., & Rostami, A. (2019). Sweden: organised crime, politics and civil society. In Allum, F. & Gilmour, S. (eds) Handbook of Organised Crime and Politics (pp. 35–49). United Kingdom: Edward Elger.
• Irwin-Rogers, K., Decker, S. H., Rostami, A., Stephenson, S., & Van Hellemont, E. (2019). European street gangs and urban violence. In I. Vojnovic, A. L. Pearson, G. Asiki, G. DeVerteuil, & A. Allen (Eds.), Handbook of Global Urban Health (1st Edition). (pp.484-508).New York: Routledge.
• Sturup, J and Rostami, A. (2017). Organiserad antagnosim [Organized antagnosim]. In Edling, C. & Rostami, A. (eds), Våldsbejakande Extremism: En Forskarantologi [Violent extremism and organized crime in Sweden]. SOU 2017:67 (pp.99-121). Stockholm: Regeringskansliet.
• Rostami, A. (2016). Våldets betydelse för organisering av kriminella gäng [The importance of violence for the organization of criminal gangs]. In Edling, C. & Rostami, A. (eds), Våldets Sociala Dimension: Individ, Relation, Organisation [The Social Dimension of Violence: Individual, Relationship, Organization] (pp.167-186). Lund: Studentlitteratur.
• Rostami, A. (2016). “Policing gangs and organized crime – Experiences from conceptual confusion and its consequences from two Swedish case studies”. In Maxson, C.L. & Esbensen, F. (eds) Gang Transitions and Transformations in an International Context (pp.279-289). New York: Springer.
• Rostami, A. (2016) Criminal organizing - Studies in the sociology of organized crime (PhD thesis). Stockholm. Stockholm University.
• Leinfelt, F., & Rostami, A. (2012). The PANTHER Gang model: Preventive Analysis about Network Targets for Holistic Enforcement Response. In F. Leinfelt & A. Rostami (Eds.), The Stockholm gang model: PANTHER Stockholm County Police.
• Rostami, A., & Leinfelt, F. (2012). The History of Swedish Gangs. In F. Leinfelt & A. Rostami (Eds.), The Stockholm gang model: PANTHER : Stockholm Gang Intervention and Prevention Project. Polismyndigheten i Stockholms län.
• Rostami, A., & Leinfelt, F. (2012). Bridging Science and Pragmatism. In F. Leinfelt & A. Rostami (Eds.), The Stockholm gang model: PANTHER : Stockholm Gang Intervention and Prevention Project. Polismyndigheten i Stockholms län.
• Rostami, A. & F. Leinfelt (2011). ”The Stockholm Gang Intervention and Prevention Project: Introducing a Holistic Approach to Gang Enforcement.” In F.-A. Esbensen and C. L. Maxson (Eds.) Youth Gangs in International Perspective: Tales from the Eurogang Program of Research. New York: Springer.

SCIENTIFIC REPORTS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS

• Rostami, A., & Mondani, H. (2024). Kriminella entrepenörer: en studie om den organiserade brottsligheten i näringslivet [Criminal Entrepreneurs: A Study of Organized Crime in Business]. Stockholms Handelskammare [Stockholm Chamber of Commerce].
• Kaakinen, M., Moeller, K., Lomell, H. M., Valdimarsdóttir, M., Westfelt, L., & Rostami, A. (2024). Street Gang Involvement Among Nordic Youth: A comparative study on prevalence and risk factors in Nordic countries (Policy Brief 1/2024). Nordic Research Council for Criminology (NSfK). https://www.nsfk.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/policy-brief-2024-1.pdf
• Rostami, A., Gerell, M., Sturup, J., Mellgren, C., Munthe, C., Hartvigsson, T., Bring, J., Sundell, K., Hellberg, U., Dagerhamn, J., Jonsson, A., Fundell, S., Höistad, M., Jolstedt, M., Wallgren, L., Åhsberg, E. & Tranæus, S. (2023). Psykosociala insatser för att förebygga och minska gängkriminalitet bland barn och unga vuxna. (SBU Utvärderar 369). [Psychosocial Interventions to Prevent and Reduce Gang Crime Among Children and Young Adults SBU – Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services].
• (2023). Ett stärkt och samlat skydd av välfärdssystemen (Statens offentliga utredningar SOU 2023:52; Slutbetänkande av 2021 års Bidragsbrottsutredning). Socialdepartmentet. [Strengthened and Unified Protection of Welfare Systems (Official Government Reports SOU 2023:52; Final Report of the 2021 Welfare Fraud Inquiry] (Sepecial investigator, Rostatmi, A.).
• Mondani, H., Askanius, T., & Rostami, A. (2023). The nexus of violence-oriented right-wing extremism and organized crime in Sweden. In Ritzmann, A. (ed) Transnational Linkages between Violent Right-wing Extremism, Terrorism and Organized Crime. Counter Extremism Project (CEP).
• Mondani, H. & Rostami, A. (2023). Kriminella på kartan – en ESO-rapport om den organiserade brottslighetens geografi [Criminals on the map – an ESO report on the geography of organized crime]. Stockholm: Expertgruppen för Studier i Offentlig ekonomi (ESO). Kommittérapport. (5.4.2023).
• Rostami, A. (2022). Kriminalpolitik – Berättelsen om ”det svenska tillståndet” [Criminal policy – The story of "the Swedish state of affairs"]. In Snabbtänkt. Reflektioner från valet 2022 av ledande forskare [Quick thinking. Reflections from the 2022 election by leading researchers]. Mittuniversitetet, Demicom, Sundsvall.
• Rostami, A. (2022). Stockholm 2040 – en sammanhållen region mot organiserad brottslighet och utan utsatta områden [Stockholm 2040 – a cohesive region against organized crime and without vulnerable areas]. In Stockholm 2040. Volante.
• Rostami, A. (2022). Den svenska brottsparadoxen [The Swedish crime paradox]. Policypapper Mars 2022. Stockholm: Fores.
• Rostami, A. & Brun, H. (2022). De organiserade bedrägerierna [The organized frauds]. NBC, Polismyndigheten [Police Agency].
• Rostami, A. & Brun, H. (2022). De dödliga bedrägerierna [The deadly frauds]. NBC, Polismyndigheten [Police Agency].
• Stärkt arbete med att bekämpa bidragsbrott. Administrativt sanktionssystem och effektivare hantering av misstänkta brot [Strengthened work to combat grant crime. Administrative sanction system and more efficient handling of suspected offences]. Socialdepartmentet. SOU 2022:37 (Official Government Reports of the 2021 Welfare Fraud Inquiry] (Sepecial investigator, Rostatmi, A.).
• Rostami, A. (2021). The Swedish Crime Paradox: A Brief on Challenges Posed by Organised Crime in Sweden. European Liberal Forum Policy Paper. November 2021. Stockholm: European Liberal Forum EUPF.
• Rostami, A., and Fuentes, F,. 2021. What’s Happening in the Land of Pippi Longstocking? Gangs, Bombs, and Transatlantic Police-to-Police Cooperation. Police Chief Magazine, 40–45.
• Mondani, H., Rostami, A., Askanius, T., Sarnecki, J., & Edling., C. (2021). Women in violent extremism in Sweden. Nordic Council of Ministers.
• Rostami, A. & Brun, H., 2021. De organiserade bedrägerierna. En förstudie [The organized frauds. A preliminary study]. NBC, Polismyndigheten. [Police Agency]
• Rostami, A., Mondani, H., Carlsson, C., Sturup, J., Sarnecki, J., & Edling, C. (2018). Våldsbejakande extremism och organiserad brottslighet i Sverige [Violent extremism and organized crime in Sweden] (No. 2018/4; p. 104). Stockholm: Institutet för Framtidsstudier [Institute for Futures Studies].
• Rostami, A. (2019). Organiserad antagonism Jihadism och organiserad brottslighet som sociala risker. Slutrapport [Organized antagonism Jihadism and organized crime as social risks. Final report] Stockholm. Myndigheten för samhällsksydd och beredskap [The authority for social protection and preparedness].
• SOU 2017:110. (2017). Värna demokratin mot våldsbejakande extremism - hinder och möjligheter: Slutbetänkande [Protecting democracy against violent extremism - obstacles and opportunities: Final report]. Stockholm: Regeringskansliet [Government Offices]
• SOU 2016:92. (2016). Värna demokratin mot våldsbejakande extremism: Nationell samordning och kommunernas ansvar. Delbetänkande [Protecting democracy against violent extremism: National coordination and the responsibility of municipalities. Interim report]. Regeringskansliet. [Government Offices]
• Rostami, A. (2014). EXIT – Att lämna en destruktiv organisation: Förslag till nationell avhopparstrategi (No. 273/2014). Stockholm: Polismyndigheten.
• Rostami, A. & Lindblom, L .(2012). Den lokala lägesbilden. Huddinge kommun och Södetörns polismästardistrikt.

THESES

• Rostami, A. (2016) Criminal organizing - Studies in the sociology of organized crime (PhD thesis.
• Rostami, A. (2013). Tusen fiender - en studie om de svenska gatugängen och dess ledare. Linnaeus University Studies in Policing och Institutionen för socialt arbete. Fil lic thesis. Växjö: Linnéuniversitetet.

OTHER ARTICLES (POPULAR SCIENCE, DEBATE, ETC.

• Rostami, A. (2023). Bidragsspärr bör kunna användas mot dömda. Svenska Dagbladet (06-sep).
• von Sydow, K., Appelgren, G., Erkers, H., Holmestig, A., Jägerskog, M., Magnusson, V., Nordstrand, A., Oljeqvist, J., Svanström, T., Taylor, K. & Rostami, A. (2023). Debatt: Gängvåldet kräver att ni samlas över blocken. Aftonbladet (13-okt).
• Rostami, A., Arrhenius, G. & Tersman, F. (2023). ”Missvisande om brist på forskning”. Svenska Dagbladet (11-nov).
• Rostami, A. & Erfelt, F. (2023). ”Ta hjälp av företagen i kampen mot brott”. Svenska Dagbladet (05-nov).
• Rostami, A. (2022). ”Kriminella dränerar våra välfärds­system”. Svenska Dagbladet (15-jun).
• Rostami, A. & Sarnecki, J. (2022). ”Skjutningar får inte över­skugga all brottslighet”. Svenska Dagbladet (13-mar).
• Rostami, A. (2018). "Gör vi inte rätt nu så kommer alla att förlora". Göteborgs-Posten (8-feb).
• Lundqvist, B., Rostami, A., Sandbolm, A., Sturup, J. & von Vogelsang, E. (2016). ”En nationell mobilisering mot det grova våldet krävs”. Dagens Nyheter (13-nov).
• Rostami, A. (2015). ”Nu krävs en nationell strategi mot våldet". Svenska Dagbladet (13-aug).
• Rostami, A. (2011). ”Gatugäng är inget framtidsscenario, utan en realitet”. Svenska Dagbladet (25-sep).