Dark-field study in North Rhine-Westphalia: Youth crime and parental violence remain high

A dark-field study by the University of Cologne yields new insights into the development of juvenile delinquency in North Rhine-Westphalia: In 2025, young people reported property and violent crimes slightly less frequently than in the previous year. However, the level remains elevated in a 10-years comparison. Furthermore, the results point to persistently high levels of parental violence and psychological stress.

Under the lead of Prof. Dr. Clemens Kroneberg, Professor of Sociology and member of the Cluster of Excellence ECONtribute: Markets & Public Policy at the University of Cologne, over 4,400 seventh- and eighth-grade pupils at secondary schools in three cities in the Ruhr region were surveyed in fall and winter of 2025. Three out of ten young people surveyed reported having committed at least one offense in the past twelve months. Compared to the previous year, this represents a decline of approximately four percentage points, or ten percent; in a longer-term comparison with the 2013 survey, however, the figures – particularly for violent crimes – remain notably elevated.

The study adds to the police crime statistics (PKS) by accounting for the so-called dark field. While the PKS records only crimes registered by the police, dark-field surveys are based on young people’s self-reports of their own experiences with delinquency and violence. Together, these two perspectives allow for a more nuanced understanding of trends in youth crime.

The study, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), also examines various potential causes of delinquency. “One cause for concern,” says Clemens Kroneberg, “is the persistently high number of young people who experience violence from their parents.” One in five young people surveyed reported having experienced parental violence in the past year. Furthermore, as in the previous year, between 20 and 30 percent of adolescents felt under severe psychological stress.

Compared to the 2013 survey, self-assessed self-control is also lower and moral disapproval of rule violations is less pronounced. Moreover, respondents perceived a lower risk of being detected when committing a crime.

In light of these findings, Clemens Kroneberg emphasizes: “Dark-field studies reveal what would otherwise remain hidden. Significant efforts are still needed, particularly in the areas of preventing family violence, fostering young people’s social and emotional skills, and strengthening norms in schools.”

The study, published as an ECONtribute Policy Brief, can be found here. Further analyses and recommendations concerning youth crime were also published in this final report from October 2025.