A recent study examines possible causes of the recent increases in police-registered youth crime in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). Compared to surveys conducted in 2013 and 2015, a higher proportion of young people in 2024 reported having committed crimes such as shoplifting, robbery, or assault. However, the majority of young people remains law-abiding.
Under the lead of Clemens Kroneberg, Professor of Sociology and member of the Cluster of Excellence ECONtribute: Markets & Public Policy at the University of Cologne, over 3,700 pupils at secondary schools in the Ruhr region were surveyed. The results confirm the indications from the police crime statistics pointing to an increase in youth delinquency: compared to 2015, violent crime has risen by 31 percent in 7th grade and by 27 percent in 9th grade. The increase in violent crime is particularly pronounced among girls. Nevertheless, the vast majority of young people have not committed any crimes in the last 12 months.
The study also examined various potential causes of delinquency. Compared to ten years ago, self-reported self-control has declined, and moral attitudes have weakened. Moreover, respondents perceive a lower risk of being detected and suffering tangible consequences when committing a crime. The share of young people who report having experienced physical violence from their parents has also increased substantially. In addition, they spend on average five to six hours per day on social media, where many are exposed to violent content. Analyses by the researchers show a positive correlation between time spent on social media and the prevalence of violent behavior. Violent offenders are also more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression.
“Even though youth delinquency has declined in historical perspective, the recent increases should be taken seriously,” says Kroneberg. “Our results suggest to invest in the social and emotional skills of young people and their parents, and to strengthen norms in schools.”
The background to the study is the substantial rise in police-registered youth crime in 2022 following declines during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia subsequently called for an independent scientific study to clarify the causes and background of this development. “We are grateful to the state government for responding to the parliament’s call for an independent scientific investigation. Large-scale surveys are an important complement to police crime statistics, helping us to better understand trends and their possible causes,” Kroneberg explains.
A new grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG) enables Kroneberg and his team to continue their research on the development of youth crime within the project “Violent Delinquency in Adolescence: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.”
The final report of the study has been published as an ECONtribute Policy Brief.
