Estonian experts: most young people grow out of lawbreaking
Estonian criminologists and psychologists say most young people who break the law in adolescence abandon such behavior as they age. Support, family relationships and teaching responsibility work better than harsh punishment, they argue.
Most young people who break the law during adolescence eventually leave such behavior behind. This was said by criminologist Anna Markina and clinical child psychologist Iiris Velling on "Teise mätta otsast," a program on Vikerraadio, the radio station of Estonian public broadcaster ERR. In their view, support, family relationships and teaching responsibility work better than harsh punishment.
Risk-taking is temporary
Criminology knows a principle called the age-crime curve: young people's tendency to take risks is short-lived. Markina explained that lawbreaking is most common in people's 20s and declines afterwards. Around 80 percent of young people test boundaries in their teens but move away from criminal behavior in adulthood, and only a small share continue to lead troubled lives. Velling therefore said that not every offense calls for harsh punishment.
Teenagers often break the law to win approval and a sense of belonging among peers, without considering long-term consequences at that moment. Social media strengthens this urge, as young people gain followers by posting videos of their misdeeds. The environment matters too: shopping malls have become places where young people gather, and boredom combined with peer pressure can end in damaged property or shoplifting.
React rather than punish
In Estonia, a reform that took effect in 2018 introduced special treatment of minors, and the child protection and justice systems now handle each young person according to individual needs. Detention facilities are used only when other measures fail to change a child's behavior. Markina said that traditional prison sentences do not rehabilitate young people but make a criminal identity part of their personality, and the consequences after release can be even worse. Velling said it is better to speak about consequences and teaching responsibility than about punishment.
Home has the greatest influence
Both experts agreed that adults' example strongly shapes young people's behavior. If parents tell children not to use violence but use it themselves, the behavior carries over into relations among young people. Many young people lack warmth at home and look for a substitute family in peer groups. If parents keep a trusting relationship with their children, family values tend to outweigh peer influence in the long run.
