Teen gangs! The government is looking for a radical solution.
The Austrian police recently issued a warning about the rising activity of teenage gangs, prompting the Ministry of the Interior to form a special unit last year to combat this phenomenon. Indeed, thousands of cases have been recorded. Notably, a large percentage of the suspects are minors and have migration backgrounds.
In an attempt to address this phenomenon, some political voices are calling for a reduction in the age of criminal responsibility. However, the Stadtregierung Wien (Vienna City Government) rejects this option, while the NEOS party has reintroduced the idea of creating Erziehungscamps (rehabilitation camps) outside of Vienna, where organized educational programs would be offered.
Vienna's mayor Michael Ludwig acknowledged the need for new measures but warned against drifting into excessive sanctions. He explained that these children can no longer be integrated into traditional educational programs, as they evade supervision and reject rules, exploiting loopholes in a system based on voluntary cooperation. He said, "These children often know that they cannot be stopped – and that makes it difficult to control them." Therefore, Ludwig supports the idea of creating mandatory institutions under supervision, where this group can be trained to adhere to laws in a safe and protected environment.
For his part, researcher Johannes Huber stated that removing these children from their often violent environment is essential. He added, "We must show them a better life. I have doubts about the possibility of achieving that within the family framework. If lowering the age of legal responsibility can help separate them from their dangerous environment, it is a reasonable option. This does not mean that we want to punish them harshly or deprive them of their basic rights."