Hundreds of school-related crime reports in Eastern Finland last year

Eastern Finland police received hundreds of school-related crime reports last year, with assaults and illegal threats among the most common offences, according to a report by Yle.

Rikoskomisario Minna Väistö said the force receives almost daily inquiries about school bullying, particularly at the start and end of terms. While not all cases meet the criteria for criminal investigation, some lead to formal proceedings.

In 2025, Eastern Finland police recorded 134 assault reports, 88 minor assaults, and 55 illegal threats linked to schools. This year’s figures follow similar trends, though minor assaults have dropped by nearly a third. Other reports included sexual harassment, bodily harm, and attempted assault.

Väistö noted that bullying is not always recognised, especially as it has evolved with social media. New forms include deepfake imagery, such as AI-generated explicit content. Traditional psychological bullying, like exclusion or belittling, can also be hard to prove without clear evidence.

She stressed that police intervention alone is often insufficient, as not all bullying constitutes a crime and investigations can take over a year. Faster resolutions may come through school-led measures, child welfare reports, or mediation, which some students have requested more of.

Väistö also observed growing defiance toward authority among some youth, though she does not believe police authority has broadly weakened. She emphasised the importance of positive interactions between police and young people.