Teenagers from Upper Austria: over 100 crimes - finally arrest!

Teenagers from Upper Austria: over 100 crimes - finally arrest!

In Upper Austria, two young people have been arrested who are responsible for an impressive number of crimes. A 15-year-old Serb and a 16-year-old were caught by the police on May 15 and 16, 2025. They are charged with over 100 crimes from 2024, mainly ownership offenses in the Kirchdorf district. The Steyr public prosecutor had already obtained an arrest order after the young people were filmed and confronted in the act. The authorities had alerted their unimpressed behavior. In December 2024, they were sentenced to a conditional prison sentence, but from April 2025 they committed another 24 crimes, although their previous acts had not yet been negotiated in court. You are now in the Garsten Fort.

The arrests are part of a worrying trend in Austria, where the figures of the young criminals have increased significantly. In 2022, over 7,350 under 18-year-olds were determined as suspects in Upper Austria. This represents an increase of 14.3 % compared to the previous year and is even 57.8 % higher in the 10-year comparison. Of the young people determined were 154 under 10 years, 1,594 aged 10 to under 14 years and 5,606 aged 14 to under 18. This makes it clear that juvenile crime is a serious problem that has to be tackled in view of the increasing convictions in this age group of 12.4 % since 2022.

caller for harder measures

The OÖVP has already formulated suggestions to combat youth crime. This includes a reduction in the age of 14 to 12 years as well as special measures for delinquent young people who are under 14 years old. These suggestions include that young criminals have to spend hours in prison. An introduction of a "warning shot arrest" based on the German model is also sought. This includes various arrest to confront young people at an early stage with the consequences of their actions.

Current statistics show that the proportion of foreigners on the legally punished youth crime in Upper Austria was 44.1 % in 2023. Special increases in the convictions of young people were listed primarily in the regional court districts Linz (+41.8 %) and Wels (+26.3 %). These numbers throw another light on the complexity of the topic. This shows that young people with a migration background appear both more often than perpetrators and as a victim of crimes.

youth crime in context

Youth crime is a social phenomenon that is mostly male and often not only affects minorities. Studies show that the majority of adolescents cease their criminal behavior with growing up. An extensive nationwide student survey showed that up to 70 % of the pupils would have been punishable in the past 12 months. Despite the high numbers, the majority of the crimes committed are easy, while severe forms of youth crime are less common. The current crime statistics also show that young people often become more victims than perpetrators of violence.

The notification of the notification varies greatly depending on the type of offense, and most of the procedures against young people who have become criminal will not lead to convictions. Rather, informal reactions and social control play an important role in the prevention of youth crime. In view of these developments, it becomes clear that dealing with youth crime is a complex challenge that requires continuous attention.