– The police are concerned that more crime is being committed among increasingly younger children, says police director Benedicte Bjørnland. In a press release, the police write that they see a large increase in criminal offenses committed by children and young people under the age of 18. In 2023, 21,800 criminal offenses by minors were reported. This is an increase of 28 per cent from 2022. – Although the largest increase consists of less serious conditions, there are several trends that point to challenges that society must take action on together, says Bjørnland. More violence In particular, the proportion of violent incidents has grown, with 5,400 registered offenses committed by young people. This is 37 per cent more than the previous year, when the figure was 4,000. Bjørnland says that the development is worrying. – Increased violence among young people is something the police take very seriously. The vast majority of last year’s 11,700 unique perpetrators are only registered with one offence. But two percent of these are also behind 18 percent of the conditions. – 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 More under the criminal minimum age Children under the age of 15 account for 36 per cent of these cases, according to the police. For children under the age of 15 who commit offences, society must meet them with organized follow-up, as they are under the legal age of majority. – 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
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Large increase in youth crime – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
