Initial situation
Young People & Violence – a key focus of our work |
«Juvenile violence» as such, has only been recognised as a threat to society since the middle of the 20th century. Explanatory models refer, among other things, to unemployment, social class and poverty, new patterns of leisure time and entertainment activities, increased depiction of violence in the media, changing family circumstances and male socialisation. Media presentation of information on the extent and forms of individual incidents of juvenile violence or crime is not necessarily congruent with actual developments. Juvenile violence still only represents a fraction of all acts of violence carried out in society today. Even so, statistics suggest that young people’s readiness to use violence has significantly increased in recent years Thus, the police crime statistic (PCS) shows that from 1999 to 2006 investigations against underage offenders have continually and noticeably increased. Incidences of bodily injury have increased from 760 to 1,525; threats have increased from 405 to 869. In the same period the number of sentences passed against young violent offenders increased dramatically from 1,241 to 2,268 convictions (simple assault: increase from 288 to 638; threats: increase from 148 to 317). |
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Crime statistics (for example PCS, victims aid statistic and the juvenile convictions statistic) have only limited use when it comes to understanding and evaluating juvenile violence on a more sophisticated level. The type and extent of the crimes recorded depend on how they are reported by the public, and on criminal prosecution by the police. Extreme caution has therefore to be exercised when interpreting the data. The 2007 report by the Federal Department of Justice and Police (DJP) «Juvenile violence: its extent, causes and measures» established that, “extent and development of juvenile violence cannot be accurately estimated on the basis of existing data. Fear mongering would therefore not be appropriate.” However, the DJP also emphasizes, “that the problem of juvenile violence should not be played down and the extent of the violence is a cause for fear to some sectors of the public. Besides, existing statistics suggest that in recent years young people’s readiness to use violence has increased”. Prevention aims of the canton police forceThe principal aim of the police is to fulfil their suppressive and preventive mandate to ensure public safety and uphold order. The police do their job 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and rely on a good functioning network of state and non-governmental institutions and organisations for support in order to fulfil the mandateIn the field of crime prevention their job is to involve, sensitise and inform public and relevant target audiences, e.g. experts who care for injured parties, victims and offenders at local and regional levels; the canton’s youth services, street workers, cantonal youth representatives and integration representatives as well as in the areas of schools, parents and recreation. In their everyday functioning the members of the police force have to develop their ability to reflect on prevention, know their field of work extremely well and be aware which experts are responsible for what in the sectors education, training, care and welfare. See Part I of the Young People and Violence Action Plan 2008 (box to the right). Wide range of preventive measures at cantonal levelThe debate on the topic «Young people and violence» that has been going on for years has resulted in the creation in Switzerland of a wide range of institutional departments and measures dealing with prevention and intervention in the field of violence. In addition, there are a large number of projects and programmes being carried out by specialist organisations.See Part II of the Young People and Violence Action Plan 2008 (box to the right "download"). Structural problems in planning and implementing measures against juvenile violenceThe planning and implementation of measures that deal with violence by young people is made more difficult by a series of structural problems, which policy makers will have to deal with. They include the following aspects:
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