Youths’ Involvement in Organized Crime - Panel 1

Session Submission Type: Pre-arranged Panel

Abstract

Youths becoming involved in organized crime at a very young age is recognized as a growing global concern. Becoming part of a criminal group has been linked to persistent offending and, particularly for young people, poses a risk to their normative development and their ability to build a future outside of the criminal milieu. The mechanisms through which youths become involved in organized crime - such as drug crimes and gun violence - are receiving increasing international attention. Applying qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches, two panel sessions will introduce state-of-the-art research conducted in Belgium, Ireland, England, Sweden, and the Netherlands. These studies aim to identify risk factors, pathways into crime, and factors that promote desistance. Additionally, they explore methodologies for identifying and mapping criminal networks, utilizing social network analysis, law enforcement intelligence, and large-scale offender register data to uncover structures and recruitment strategies within organized crime groups. Research methods include interviews with youths involved in organized crime, victims of organized crime, and (whole-population) register data of organized crime offenders. These findings will contribute to evidence-based strategies for preventing youth involvement in organized crime.

Subtopic

• Topic 2: Types of Offending / Organized Crime (Organized Crime WG)

Chair

• Julie Erber, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement

Individual Presentations

• Offline and online pathways to youth involvement in organized crime in the Netherlands - Nathalie Denie, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Sjoukje van Deuren, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Robby Roks, Erasmus University Rotterdam; Edward Kleemans, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

• Children and youth in criminal networks - Katharina Tollin, National council for Crime Prevention; Henrik Angerbrandt, Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention; Anna Jonsson, The National Council of Crime Prevention

• Identifying Victims of Criminal Exploitation: Understanding Law Enforcement’s Decision-making in Organised Crime - Fallon Cooper, Leiden University; Ieke de Vries, Leiden University; Babette van Hazebroek, Leiden University; Arjan Blokland, NSCR; Maarten Kunst, Leiden University

• EPE-SOC: mapping the Exposure, Pathways, and Engagement in serious and organised crime - Sanaz Zolghadriha, University College London