Police in Helsinki report a significant increase in violent offences committed by children under the age of 15. Photo: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva
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Police in Helsinki report a significant increase in violent offences committed by children under the age of 15, with assault cases up 30 percent in early 2025 compared to the same period last year. The trend has prompted concerns from authorities and renewed efforts to prevent repeat offences among minors.
The Helsinki Police Department and the City of Helsinki have launched a coordinated response to address the rise in youth crime, focusing on improving information-sharing between agencies and identifying high-risk individuals early.
The initiative targets children with persistent behavioural issues, criminal activity, or substance abuse.
Under Finnish law, children under 15 are below the age of criminal responsibility. As a result, police cannot prosecute repeat offenders in this group, relying instead on child protection services. According to police, this gap allows some minors to commit serious crimes repeatedly.
“The most serious cases are concentrated in a small group of children,” said Chief Superintendent Markku Heinikari. “One under-15 boy, for example, is suspected of two attempted homicides and ten robberies during periods when he had fled care.”
The number of pre-trial detentions among older teenagers has also increased. Detentions among 15–17-year-olds rose by 45 percent last year, while for 18–20-year-olds the number doubled.
Heinikari described the situation as “tragic” and said youth gang activity is increasing. Robbery is the most common reason for placing young offenders in pre-trial detention. He said these cases show that early interventions have not been sufficient to break cycles of offending.
Heinikari also called for the creation of a secure facility designed to offer multi-agency support to under-15s committing serious crimes.
Schools and police are working more closely in response to the rise in youth violence. The government allocated €2 million last autumn to strengthen school police work across the country. In Helsinki, two school officers are supplemented by patrol officers who have already made around 350 school visits this year.
Inspector Jani Aunio, one of the city’s school police officers, said schools frequently contact police with concerns related to bullying, violence, or substance use. Since January, Helsinki schools have submitted about 300 such requests for police assistance.
“These are cases where the school’s own measures are no longer enough,” Aunio said.
The city will appoint a dedicated coordinator from 1 August to manage police-school cooperation and improve safety in schools.
Recent knife incidents have heightened awareness of the issue. On Tuesday, a 16-year-old boy stabbed three younger girls at a lower secondary school in Pirkkala. All victims were discharged from hospital the following day. On Wednesday, a child under 12 injured a classmate with a blade at a primary school in Hämeenlinna. The victim was not seriously hurt.
Despite these incidents, Aunio stressed that schools remain safe. He reminded that carrying knives is illegal in schools, and any such cases are reported to child protection authorities. Last year, fewer than 10 cases were recorded in Helsinki involving students bringing harmful objects to school.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
