«The number of reports of minors reported and/or arrested in the metropolitan city of Florence is high an increase of 16.34% between 2022 and 2023». This is what we read in the report prepared by the specialists of the Criminal Analysis Service of the Central Directorate of the Criminal Police who processed the data of 73 Italian provinces: Florence stands out among the top places for the problem of juvenile delinquency after the data from the police and carabinieri have been processed.
The numbers
In particular, 961 minors ended up in trouble compared to 826 2 years ago and 552 in 2010. Of these 962, over 600 are foreign minors. A figure which has remained so since 2010. And again: «Between the years 2022 and 2023, in the face of a decrease in reports of minors reported and/or arrested for extortion (-26.32%) , significant increases were recorded for those relating to the crime of theft (20.99%) and robbery (82.42%)”, reads the report. Which also takes into account another piece of data: «The reports of foreign minors reported and/or arrested for the crime of damage recorded a significant increase (58.33%), unlike the number of reports» of Italian minors.
From the point of view of data relating to thefts — at a national level — there are «significant increases for the cities of Bologna, Cagliari, Florence, Reggio Calabria, compared to the significant decreases recorded in the cities of Genoa, Messina, Naples, Turin, Venice».
Also per regarding robberies it’s not better: «There are significant increases for the cities of Bari, Bologna, Florence, Genoa, Naples and Reggio Calabria compared to the significant decrease recorded in the city of Palermo». The same goes for negligent injuries: at a national level “significant increases have been recorded for the cities of Bari, Bologna, Catania, Florence, Genoa and Milan”.
A sobering fact is that relating to rapes: between Florence and the province, between 2022 and 2023, “the reports of minors reported and/or arrested for sexual violence reach 7 units in total, compared to 3 units recorded in 2022”, we read.
The baby gangs
On juvenile delinquency, which is often associated with the phenomenon of baby gangs, experts maintain that the «groups are characterized by a predominantly Italian or foreign nationality (first or second generation). In the majority of cases, the youth gangs active in the territories in the period under review have accomplished acts of bullying, fights, beatings and injuries, acts of vandalism and disturbing the peace. In some circumstances, the groups were responsible for thefts in public streets or in commercial establishments and for drug dealing.
The by far predominant activity, however, is represented by harassment of peers. Youth gangs usually gather on weekends and in squares, train stations or shopping centers.
The data collected highlighted situations of marginality or socio-economic hardship for many of the members of the youth gangs.” From a psychological point of view «among the factors that push young people to join a youth gang» are the «rproblematic contributions with families, with the school system, relational difficulties or inclusion in the social fabric. The use of social networks as a tool to strengthen group identities and generate processes of emulation or self-absolution is also influential.”
