The media has recently given a lot of attention to youth issues and crime, including in Rotterdam South. Many reports focus on hardened youth crime, with stories about young people involved in explosions, knife violence, or drug trafficking. On the one hand, the media highlights a serious problem, but on the other hand, there is a risk of negative portrayal. Robby Roks, Associate Professor of Criminology at Erasmus School of Law, was a guest on the Stadswandelingen podcast by Erasmus Verbindt and Rijnmond to discuss the role of the media in shaping perceptions and which initiatives do and do not work in the fight against youth crime.
Following a study on the extent, causes, and background of knife violence in Rotterdam, the media often headlined with “one in five young people in Rotterdam has had or used a weapon.” Roks provides a nuanced view in the podcast: “It is all about how you look at it. You could also say that four out of five young people want nothing to do with it. That is a more positive, honest, and safer message.” What is less highlighted is that the research also reveals that a significant portion of the young people who possess a knife do so out of a sense of insecurity. Roks explains, “They think, ‘If so many young people carry a weapon, I should arm myself just in case.’”
Negative media coverage
At the same time, Roks does not underestimate the complexity and severity of the issue: “The media plays a role [in the image of Rotterdam South], but that does not mean it is something the media has entirely created. There are roots in reality. There have been problems in the South for a long time, and efforts are being made to address them. It is tough to change such an image, even though many positive things are happening in the South, and many people are working passionately for the city. It is not all doom and gloom in the South.”
Negative portrayals in media can actually have a detrimental effect on crime rates and the sense of insecurity among young people, warns Roks: “We should not always frame youth in terms of negativity and problems. (...) What struck us in focus group discussions when we asked, ‘Are weapons among young people a problem?’ is that many young people said, ‘It is a huge problem,’ and when we asked why, many of them said, ‘Because we see it in the news.’”
Drop your knife
Furthermore, police weapon surrender campaigns often do not achieve the desired effect. The intention is good, but during these initiatives, the police do not always know what to do with the surrendered knives, as observed by Roks: “You end up with American-style tables full of weapons, and they say, ‘This is what we collected. All of this was out there.’ You could see this as a positive thing since it is all off the streets, but as a young person, you might also think, ‘Look at what is still out there in the city or my neighbourhood.’ So, it could also fuel the feeling of insecurity.”
The government also missed the mark with a campaign last year: “There was a broad government campaign with a video clip featuring the slogan ‘Drop your knife, do something with your life.’ It was a bit cringe, using young people’s terminology, but it was a campaign aimed at all young people in the Netherlands. The question is whether such campaigns should be so broadly targeted.”
Social media
“Additionally, young people are exposed to weapon-related content via social media. We saw many instances of offline and online violence that they were not always aware of.” Social media can also play a positive role in monitoring and reaching out to young people. “In Rotterdam, we can be proud of how far we have come with online youth work”, Roks says. “It does great things and showcases the positive side of social media. There are various ways to connect with young people and monitor what is happening among them. In 2023, you can no longer sell the idea that youth work is not online. I will take it further; professionals working with young people should have a strong online information position and digital competence.”
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Stadswandelingen is an initiative by Erasmus Verbindt and Rijnmond. In the podcast, the editorial team explores, questions, and clarifies the relationship between the city and Erasmus University Rotterdam, together with scientists and other guests. Episode 4 of Season 2 focused on youth crime. The Stadswandelingen podcast can be found here (in Dutch).