The new school year 2023/2024 started yesterday 12 of September, constituting an event that affects the entire society, especially the school community, But this school year begins with an increase in youth violence, and the measures presented do not therefore prove capable of preventing and combating the phenomenon..
Rogério COPETO
Colonel of the GNR
Master in Law and Security and Homeland Security Auditor
According to the Annual Homeland Security Report of 2022 (Perhaps 2022), They were recorded 6.607 “illegal activities in a school environment” during the school year 2021/2022, corresponding to more 35%, being of these, 4.634 crimes (+93,3%), with incidents related to youth violence (criminal acts committed by young people among 12 and 16 year old), increased by 51% last year, representing over 1.700 cases, constituting the highest value in the last seven years.
Given these numbers, and also with the aim of combating the phenomenon of youth violence, or not, In the meantime, two diplomas were published, the first having been published 9 August, by Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 91/2023, which approves the Integrated Urban Security Strategy (EISU), providing the same to combat youth violence, the creation of the proximity policing program called “Safe Higher Education”.
It's at 28 August was the turn of Lei n.Âş 51/2023 (despite being a year late), came to define the objectives, criminal policy priorities and guidelines for the biennium 2023-2025, and that to prevent, suppress and reduce youth violence, attributes to youth violence and that which is practiced in a school environment, the quality of crime prevention and priority investigation.
From reading the two aforementioned diplomas, It is concluded that to prevent youth violence, a special neighborhood policing program called “Safe Higher Education” was created., knowing that since 1992 there is the Safe School Program (PES) and more recently the “Safe University” program, the latter created in 2017, and that youth violence becomes a priority prevention and research phenomenon, label also attributed to domestic violence for some years now and it has not stopped being the criminal phenomenon that increases the most every year.
So, it is easy to consider that the measures presented prove to be insufficient, to prevent and combat the phenomenon of youth violence, especially in a school environment, suggesting alternative, the bet on strengthening PES, because in addition to being a program that has already proven its effectiveness,, over the last 31 year old, is a program that works to prevent antisocial and criminal behavior among young people, promoting, not only a safe and healthy school environment, how it allows police presence in the vicinity of schools where it can deter youth violence.
The bet on PES, involves enhancing the capacity of early intervention through the elements allocated to the program, since they are in direct contact with young people, allowing them to identify early signs of problematic behavior or risky situations, enabling early signaling of young people at risk.
Increase awareness actions, because PES, in addition to dealing with security issues,, also plays an educational role, raising awareness among young people about topics such as bullying, violence in the relationship, drug use and citizenship education, promoting the importance of civic and ethical values ​​among young people, contributing to the formation of responsible citizens, where collaboration with directors, teachers and staff, has proven to be fundamental to the success of PES.
Take advantage of the capabilities of elements assigned to PES, in conflict mediation, knowing that in situations of conflict between students, These elements can play an important role as mediators, helping to resolve disputes peacefully and preventing them from escalating into criminality, as well as the collection of more useful information, developing analyzes of the collected data, with the aim of identifying areas with high rates of youth violence, in order to effectively direct resources to these locations.
Strengthen existing interinstitutional partnerships and create new ones, working closely with all institutions, particularly in the areas of social service, education and health, to identify and meet the needs of at-risk youth, with the Commissions for the Protection of Children and Young People in Danger being a forum par excellence, where all the first-class institutions meet.
By reinforcing visibility patrolling carried out by the territorial device personnel, implement new patrolling strategies, adapted to the prevention of youth violence, with a special focus on areas where young people are concentrated, such as shopping centers and other public spaces, where also the elements of the criminal investigation, may have a role in the investigation and detention of young people involved in criminal activities, ensuring that their rights are respected and that they have access to support services when necessary, downstream, reintegration programs for young offenders should be developed, providing education opportunities, training and rehabilitation.
Without forgetting the necessary continuous training of elements assigned to the PES, providing them with knowledge and skills to deal with issues relating to young people and their involvement in criminal activities, as well as in the area of ​​communication, necessary to carry out awareness-raising actions about the dangers and consequences of youth violence, where reporting of the phenomenon should be encouraged.
So, instead of redundant measures, to prevent and combat youth violence in Portugal, in addition to investing in strengthening the PES, we would still like to see a multifaceted approach, combining public policies in different areas, namely investment in educational programs that aim to improve access to quality education and professional training opportunities for young people, with the creation of employment and internship programs, promoting their integration into the job market and reducing the temptation for criminal activities.
Develop social support services that help young people in risk situations, including counseling, psychological support and rehabilitation programs, drug use prevention programs must also be implemented, alcohol and violence among young people, focusing on education and awareness, where early intervention proves essential, with the aim of identifying young people at risk as early as possible, offering them guidance and family support.
And invest in collaboration between civil society institutions and local communities, for the development of effective solutions to prevent and combat youth violence, where citizenship education plays a key role, through promoting the values ​​of respect, responsibility and social inclusion, in schools and the community.
In short, instead of redundant measures, we believe that investing in strengthening the PES alone proves to be more effective, because the same has played throughout 31 years a crucial role in preventing and combating youth violence, especially in a school environment, by promoting safety in educational establishments, by intervening early in risk situations and educating young people about the importance of appropriate and ethical behavior, strengthening collaboration between all institutions, especially between the school community and the Security Forces, creating an enabling environment to address this complex challenge of preventing and combating youth violence.
