EMI Public lecture: interactive session on juvenile crime prevention in cities

During the interactive session the group was split up in several smaller discussion groups. This article gives you an idea of the main points discussed. Ms. Riemersma as coordinator of the ‘Safety House’ approach in The Hague informed the participants in her group about the integrated approach of this initiative in The Hague. You can read more about the approach in the article attached. Youth workers and police officers, who had never worked with each other before, are now working together very intensively. They are all active in the neighbourhoods and know how to work with youths. Working together as key partners in the prevention of juvenile crime wasn’t new for the participants at all. The combination of different approaches like care, punishment and aftercare seemed to make sense to the participants, although there seemed to be no common standard. Birmingham was the only city present that has a very similar approach to the one in The Hague.

Necessary elements of a successful approach towards juvenile crime prevention
The group discussed which approaches and interventions are useful and effective with regard to juvenile crime prevention. The group indicated necessary elements of an approach towards juvenile crime prevention:

• it should be pro-active;
• it should start at a young age (before the age of 12);
• and at an early stage (before a vicious circle of misbehavior really takes off). 

Furthermore, a large role was seen for the educational system, which was later emphasized by professor Wikström. Mr. Wikström stated during his speech that the most influential role in preventing youth nuisance is that of families and schools. Schools should focus much more on moral education, instead of simply transferring knowledge. The role of municipalities was also discussed. These should focus on the wellbeing of communities in general and offer ‘escape routes’ for youth delinquencies: the provision of good public spaces, bonding communities offer jobs and education.

Barriers to a successful approach towards juvenile crime prevention
Some barriers to a successful approach that were identified during the interactive session were the ‘pampering’ or ‘soft approach’ of juvenile delinquents, the unintended consequences of measures (such as problems finding a job or an internship due to a preceding crime record) and politicians who want fast and visible results that frustrate a longer term approach and lack of resources.  Furthermore, the participants emphasized that actual crime attracts a lot of (political) attention, but the issue of crime prevention is not always taken seriously.