Finnish, Danish ministers discuss youth, gang crime

Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Danish Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard met in Copenhagen on Tuesday and discussed various issues including youth and gang crime and its prevention, said Ministry of the Interior in a press release.

“The rise in youth and gang crime is a serious problem, and our Government is committed to taking the necessary measures to resolutely combat and reduce youth and gang crime. To this end, we will examine the practices, measures and effectiveness of the Danish approach to combating gang and organised crime,” Rantanen said.

Denmark has a youth crime board tasked with considering cases where children or young people aged between 10 and 17 are suspected of serious crimes.

The board may impose measures, such as education and training or community service, instead of punishment. The aim is to enable young people to learn from their mistakes and reintegrate into society and to prevent future offences.

In Finland, the police have identified about 10 groups classified as street gangs or similar local crime networks. Youth crime is a separate phenomenon from street gangs, but young people who commit crimes and glorify crime are at risk of being influenced by street gangs and involved in their activities.

Violent crime among young people has increased significantly in Finland in recent years.

By the end of 2023, the Finnish Government will draw up an extensive action plan to halt the rise in youth and gang crime.