Large increase in youth crime last year – the director of police worried – Latest news – news

31 January 2024 at 12:18 Large increase in youth crime last year – the director of police worried Last year, 21,800 criminal offenses committed by young people were resolved by the police. This is an increase of 28 per cent compared to 2022. Children under the age of 15 account for 36 per cent of the conditions. The police stated this in a press release on Wednesday. – The police are concerned that more crime is being committed among younger and younger children. Although the largest increase consists of less serious conditions, there are several trends that point to challenges that society must take joint action on, says police director Benedicte Bjørnland. Violent offenses also increased significantly last year compared to 2022. In 2023, around 5,400 violent offenses committed by young people under the age of 18 were prosecuted. This is an increase of 37 per cent compared to 2022. Bjørnland elaborates that there are a small number of people who are behind a large number of the conditions. – Barely two per cent of perpetrators under the age of 18 are behind 18 per cent of all incidents. This means that around 200 very active offenders nationwide commit repeated crimes, the seriousness of which often increases with the number of offenses committed, says Bjørnland. A collaboration has been established across 13 agencies which will coordinate services and efforts for children and young people. Here, child and youth crime is an important topic. – Children who commit crime are getting younger and younger, and we are noticing a greater increase than before. The development emphasizes the importance of inter-agency efforts aimed at the very youngest children before they commit repeated and more serious crimes, says Bjørnland. – When it comes to children under the age of 15, they cannot be prosecuted. There are resources other than those of the police which must constitute the most important effort factors in preventing and averting offenses in this age category. Parents, child protection, schools, NAV, the health system, substance abuse care and volunteering all have important roles in this work, says Bjørnland, but emphasizes that the police must also contribute where they can.



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