Youth crime survey reveals rise in threats of violence among young people in Finland

According to a youth crime survey, the most common experiences of victimization among young people include threats of violence, online bullying, and damage or theft of property. Almost all reported victimization experiences have seen a slight increase compared to a survey conducted four years ago. Notably, there has been a rise in the proportion of young individuals who have experienced threats of violence, with nearly one-fifth reporting such incidents in the past year.

The results are part of a survey conducted by the Institute of Criminology and Legal Policy at the University of Helsinki. Around one in ten respondents reported having been victims of physical assault, a figure consistent with those from 2020 and 2016.

In terms of illegal behaviors, the most common among youth include underage drinking, unauthorized online downloading, and skipping school. Alcohol-related offenses have decreased, while shoplifting has seen a slight uptick. The latest survey indicates that 10% of young people admitted to stealing from a store in the year preceding the survey.

The percentage of youth admitting to committing physical violence ranges from 2% to 6%, depending on the type of offense, remaining stable compared to previous surveys. The decline in alcohol use has also reflected in violent behaviors, as only a small proportion of assaults occurred under the influence.

Most youth crimes go unreported to the police, although there has been a long-term increase in reporting rates. For instance, only 14% of assault victims shared that their incident was reported to authorities, an increase since 2020. The youth crime survey has been conducted since 1995, with 8,221 ninth-grade students from 101 schools participating in the spring 2024 iteration, achieving a response rate of 76%.