Offline and online pathways to youth involvement in organized crime in the Netherlands

• In Event: Youths’ Involvement in Organized Crime - Panel 1

Abstract

In recent years, the involvement of juveniles in organized crime has become a growing concern for both policymakers and researchers in the Netherlands. Ties to organized crime networks may prevent juveniles to build a conventional life for themselves, can reinforce their criminal careers, and hinder desistance and promote persistence in crime. Understanding how youth become involved in organized crime is therefore crucial for effective prevention. While previous research has primarily focused on adults entering organized crime, juveniles were long assumed to play a minor role, or no role at all. This study seeks to fill that gap by mapping the pathways through which juveniles become involved in organized crime, with a particular focus on the possible role played by social media and the online environment. The current study uses interviews with both professionals – such as youth workers and police officers – and juveniles directly or indirectly engaged in organized crime located in two Dutch cities to explore the local dynamics that shape youth’s involvement in serious and organized crime. In this presentation, the preliminary results of the study will be discussed by providing insight into the offline and online mechanisms that facilitate involvement in organized crime. By shedding light on these dynamics, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of juvenile involvement in organized crime and the role that social media plays in the process of getting involved, and offers valuable insights for policy and intervention strategies.

Authors

• Nathalie Denie, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

• Sjoukje van Deuren, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

• Robby Roks, Erasmus University Rotterdam

• Edward Kleemans, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam