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Citation |
Moore S, Maclean R, Jefford T. Crime Prev. Community Safety 2011; 13(4): 246-259. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2011, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group -- Palgrave-Macmillan) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
unavailable |
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Abstract |
This article draws upon the initial results of a survey of school students from eight European countries regarding their experiences of victimisation and offending while travelling to and from school. This is the first such comparative survey to be undertaken. This article provides evidence from the research that travel between the perceived safety of home and school is a risky activity for a significant proportion of young people across Europe. Utilising the notion of anti-social behaviour as the most useful measure for comparative research of victimisation of young people, this article suggests that almost one-fifth of the young people are regularly subjected to behaviour they consider anti-social. However, the majority of young people show surprisingly high levels of self-confidence and security. The key is the existence of friendship groups, which provide security from victimisation, and if something negative does occur, the friendship group also provides a place to share concerns. Teachers, police officers, youth workers and even parents are far less important in dealing with incidents of anti-social behaviour. This article concludes by arguing that this points to a move away from increasing 'formal' interventions, such as CCTV, adults travelling on buses with young people, or police officers outside schools, towards supporting the, already existing, informal methods used by young people to limit the possibility of victimisation. |