Young people attack a man with a folding knife - 30 euros in loot in Bad Salzungen

Young people attack a man with a folding knife - 30 euros in loot in Bad Salzungen

In a worrying incident, there was recently an attack in the Wartburg district in which two young people threatened a man with a folding knife. The attack took place in Bad Salzungen, where the perpetrators took 30 euros in cash from the victim. After threatening and searching the man, the police were able to react quickly: they searched the area and arrested the suspected perpetrators, seizing both the folding knife and the loot. The two young people were picked up from the office by their parents and now have to answer for robbery n-tv reported.

The incident highlights developments in juvenile crime in Germany. Like an analysis of Statista shows, youth violence will have reached a peak in 2024 with around 13,800 cases. This is more than twice as high as the value in 2016. The increase in violence among young people between the ages of 14 and 17 and among adolescents between the ages of 18 and 20 is particularly noticeable. Various factors, including psychological stress caused by the Corona measures, have been identified as possible causes for this increase.

The dimension of juvenile crime

The vast majority of young perpetrators are male. Among those convicted under the age of 21, the proportion of men is around 84 percent, as data from the Federal Criminal Police Office shows. The discussion about the application of criminal law to children under 14 is also important, particularly in the case of serious crimes such as robbery. Many experts advocate greater prevention in order to prevent young people from becoming criminals. A rethink is necessary, how bpb notes.

But not only the perpetrators, but also the number of victims are alarming. Many young people are victims of violence themselves, often in their immediate social environment. In addition, a study shows that only a small proportion of young people are willing to report violence. Just 12.5 percent of young people in Lower Saxony have reported physical injuries. Although serious forms of juvenile crime are rare, the figures from the surveys show that up to 70 percent of students have committed a crime in the last 12 months.

Social aspects of juvenile crime

The causes of juvenile crimes are varied: hormonal factors, acquired behavior patterns and social pressure play a role. The phenomenon of juvenile crime should not be viewed as isolated – it is deeply rooted in social and individual circumstances. It is also interesting that the majority of young people who have committed crimes stop their behavior when they grow up. In doing so, they show that crime is not necessarily a way of life, but is often just a phase in young people's lives.

The attack in Bad Salzungen is a sad example of the underlying problems that affect many young people in Germany. Society is called upon to take preventative measures and strengthen social cohesion in order to counteract such acts and offer young people prospects.