CONCERNED: The police in and around Bergen are experiencing a disturbing growth in criminal cases among minors. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB
Several places in the country report increasing youth crime.
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On Monday last week, a police officer was hit in the head by a young person at the Sartor centre, writes The Bergen newspaper. Sartor center is located on Straume, west of Bergen city centre.
– The disrespect and lawlessness we are seeing now is something we have never experienced before, says Police Station Commander for Askøy and Øygarden, Sven Erik Midthjell, to BA.
The offenses they see range from vandalism and theft to robbery and threats with a knife. Criminal cases among minors have increased significantly from last year to this year in their area.
– This applies especially to the 12-15 age group, says Morten Ørn, police chief in Bergen, Askøy and Øygården, to VG.
That’s exactly what the police think is unusual.
CHIEF OF POLICE: Morten Ørn. Photo: The police
So far this year, they have had 335 cases in this category in Askøy and Øygarden. In the same period last year, the number was only 142.
This corresponds to an increase of 136 per cent. Bergen has also seen a significant increase.
Shoplifting increases the most
– We see that it is quite limitless. Many people do not see the difference between right and wrong, says Ørn in Bergen.
Shoplifting is one of the things that has increased the most. In addition, they also see more cases of violence and robbery.
HUGE INCREASE: The statistics above show an increase in the number of criminal cases in Bergen, Askøy and Øygarden in the age groups 13–17 years in 2023 compared to the average from 2018 to 2023. Photo: Police
– The tip of the iceberg
In Agder, the police also report a marked increase in young people committing theft, robbery, threatening or resorting to violence.
The number of reviews involving young perpetrators young perpetrators aged 10-17. have risen in recent years, after they were stable until 2020.
From 2020 to 2022, the number of reviews rose by 46 percent. As of now, the 2023 figures are likely to be even higher.
– The analysis shows that the vast majority are only involved in one criminal offence, and that it is therefore only a matter of a few young people who are involved in several criminal offences. It is these young people who challenge us the most, says police chief Kjerstin Askholt in the Agder police district in a press release.
– Violence committed by young people under the age of 18 in Agder worries both the municipalities and the police, says police chief Kjerstin Askholt in the Agder police district. Photo: Tor Erik Schrøder / NTB
Both the police in Bergen and Agder point out that there are large figures in the dark. Even with a good overview of shoplifting, much of the rest is difficult to get information about. The fact that the crime is hidden makes it more difficult to follow up.
“Behind the analysis there are large dark figures and the picture we present is only the tip of the iceberg,” says Askholt.
– Some of these young people spread quite a lot of fear in youth and children’s environments. As a result, not much is passed on to us, says Ørn in Bergen.
– Stasis and excitement
Why this increase has taken place is difficult for the police to know for sure.
– What we would like is for there to be more research into what the main causes are, says Ørn.
He feels that there is more boundless behavior in some people. They see these behavioral problems again in crime.
One time error
The police will now try to do their part to prevent criminal acts by young people.
– Of course, that worries us. We have to care about the young, says Monica Mørk, service unit manager at Bergen West police station.
CHIEF OF POLICE: Monica Mørk. Photo: The police
The police are now starting a campaign for exactly this.
– It means that we go out to schools and partners who work with children and young people to try to make young people aware that it is actually not legal to steal, says Morten Ørn.
– It’s not like “everyone does it, so I can do it”. Even if you are under the criminal minimum age, this can have consequences.
Many of the young people the police meet believe that their age prevents them from having consequences.
This is wrong, the police emphasize.
The criminal acts can lead to, among other things, close follow-up by child protection, arrest by the police and questioning.
Morten Ørn also hopes that parents can come to grips with it, and realize their responsibility in the situation.
– It is about knowing where the children are, who they are with and what they are doing. To be clear and constructive in setting boundaries early on.
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Published: 11.11.23 at 05:10
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2023-11-11 04:10:16
#Youth #crime #shocking #experienced
