Finland faces rise in youth violence as shootings and stabbings increase in public spaces

Recent statistics indicate a worrying trend in violent crimes in Finland, with an increase in incidents occurring in public spaces and involving younger perpetrators. Experts from the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) highlighted these issues on Yle’s morning program.

There has been a notable surge in shootings and stabbings in busy public areas over the past summer and autumn. For instance, in September alone, there were two shootings in downtown Tampere, a high school student was stabbed in Oulu, and another shooting occurred in a shopping center in Vantaa.

Teemu Vauhkonen, a researcher at THL, noted that youth-related violence is on the rise, suggesting that while some of this may be due to better reporting to the police, the increase in severe violent incidents indicates a genuine growth in such crimes. He pointed out that the average age of offenders is decreasing, contributing to a shift in violence from private spaces—previously associated with alcohol-fueled gang conflicts—to public ones.

Matti Näsi from the University emphasizes that not all reported violent crimes can be attributed to the same causes, mentioning that some may involve cultural elements, such as honor-based violence or incidents linked to far-right movements.

Vauhkonen also stressed that a small percentage of youth are actually capable of extreme violence, often influenced by social risk factors like antisocial behavior and low self-control. He mentioned a troubling trend of group crimes, where robberies are committed in a gang setting and often filmed, leading to a cycle of humiliation and further violence.

Experts are calling for early intervention strategies to identify and address these trends before they escalate. Näsi warns that the current violent crime landscape requires careful monitoring and a nuanced approach to find effective solutions, particularly in familial and intimate partner violence cases, stating, “We have too many of these murders.”