Nowadays, the phenomena of violence among minors are increasingly making the headlines in newspapers and media across Europe. Juvenile delinquency rates are constantly rising and the relevant authorities are faced with the question "what should we do?" The usual and easy answer is to tighten laws and step up repression, but a deeper analysis reveals that juvenile violence is a symptom, not the disease itself.
The Global School Health Survey suggests that there is a link between poverty and incidents of bullying.
To better understand the above relationship, we need to understand that child poverty is not only economic, but also includes non-economic dimensions, such as:
Access to Quality Health Services: Lack of access to free and quality health services undermines children's mental and physical well-being. When children do not receive the necessary support, they are more likely to experience behavioural problems.
Quality Education with Focus on Values: Many children say that school does not foster human values and ethics. At a time when violence and femicide are on the rise, according to a relatively recent news analysis by the Center for Planning and Economic Research of Greece, 60.9% of children in Greece report that the school environment does not help them develop a code of values that will shield them against the challenges of the modern society.
Quality and safe leisure time: When children lack access to recreational and sporting facilities, they miss important opportunities for positive socialisation. This leads to a search for other means of release, which often includes violence.
Poverty, then, is not just a number relating to a family's income. It is a deeper condition that limits children's access to basic benefits and services, creating a fertile environment for the development of delinquent behaviour.
Education as a Prevention Factor
On the one hand, it is obvious that poverty creates conditions that lead to violence. On the other hand, the lack of a holistic educational approach, including the moral development of children, exacerbates the situation. An educational system that remains focused only on academic success, ignoring human values, contributes to the creation of a generation that has not cultivated empathy and tolerance.
We need to redefine education, giving greater importance to the moral and emotional development of children. Through programmes that foster empathy, cooperation and respect, children can develop conflict management skills and learn to resolve their differences through peaceful means. An education that promotes respect and values could serve as a means of preventing violence.
Quality Interventions Instead of Repression
Direct and harsh repression of violence among minors may seem like a solution, but it is in fact a temporary measure. The real solution lies in addressing the roots of the problem: the eradication of child poverty and the introduction of a meaningful moral education focused on the development of well-rounded individuals.
Combining equal opportunities for access to education and health with systematic teaching of values could be the most effective intervention to reduce violence. Cultivating values in children, combined with a supportive society, can prevent offending behaviour and help create a safer school environment for all.
Violence among minors is a symptom of a deeper social inequality and lack of support. It is time to turn to solutions that get to the heart of the matter, giving our children the tools and skills they need to deal with life's challenges.
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