Focusing on the Few: Repeat and serious Offending and Victimization

• In Event: New Insights into Youth Crime in a Digital World: ISRD4 Results from 21 countries

Abstract

Addressing a longstanding critique of school-based self-report surveys, this presentation explores the capacity of the ISRD4 study to capture serious and repeated instances of offending and victimization among youth. Central to this investigation is the identification of repeat offenders and repeat victims, as well as those who experience both roles repeatedly. The study utilizes follow-up measures embedded within the survey to gauge the seriousness of reported crimes, from aggravated assaults to persistent cyberbullying and online hate crimes. Methodological insights are provided on how the overlap between repeat victimization and offending is studied, including discussions on the benefits and limitations of variable-centered versus person-centered approaches in highlighting clusters of high-risk individuals.
The presentation further examines cross-national variations in the frequency and intensity of serious crimes, revealing distinct patterns that are influenced by cultural, economic, and social factors. It also critically evaluates how response integrity measures contribute to a more accurate portrayal of repeat and serious delinquency, addressing issues such as underreporting and social desirability bias. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to policy development, particularly in designing targeted interventions for the most vulnerable groups of young offenders and victims. This session underscores the need for refined survey techniques and robust analytical methods to inform effective youth crime prevention strategies on an international scale.

Authors

• Chris Birkbeck, University of Salford, UK

• Janne Kivivuori, University of Helsinki