EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Preventing criminal behaviour with children and young people

Preventing criminal behaviour with children and young people

Introduction

KICK is an integrated preventive approach aimed at children and youths who are at risk of drifting into crime. The project is an initiative of the Berlin force and the Sportjugend Berlin programme. Youths who get into trouble with the police are given the opportunity to volunteer for the KICK project.

Problem

To what degree is KICK an integrated preventive approach aimed at children and youths who are at risk of drifting into crime?

Description

The possibility of participating in meaningful leisure activities in the form of sport is explored in individual interviews with a social worker and a sport teacher. The staff of KICK tries to establish what the youth’s problems are in these individual interviews so that specific action can subsequently be taken.

Approach

The project has a specific approach. When a youth gets into trouble with the police for the first time for committing criminal acts, he/she is given the opportunity to participate in KICK. The police introduce the youth to a social worker and a sport teacher at a sub-office of the KICK project in the district. The possibility of participating at a sports club of choice, or in group activities, such as survival trips, is considered during the interviews between the youths and social workers.

The individual problem situation is also looked at. If necessary, the youths are referred to other aid organisations. If the person has not yet finished his/her schooling, his/her school is contacted so that he/she can obtain a diploma. If the youth is unemployed, then KICK helps him/her find a job. To this end, KICK cooperates with companies in the city. Sometimes, assistance is provided in finding housing. The youths are also helped with their homework or with settling their debts.

Results

Youths who have not gotten into trouble with the police also participate in the project.
A survey of the participants from 3 different KICK offices shows that a quarter of the youths participated without having been in trouble with the police.
The success of KICK can also be observed in the expansion of the project into other districts in Berlin. In 1991, one pilot project was set up. By 2000, the project had already expanded to include ten different districts. The intention is to set up a KICK office in every district of Berlin in the near future.
96% of the youths are very satisfied with KICK.

Contact info

City of Berlin
kick.koordination@berlin.de

Project start date

24/01/2002

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Security & crime prevention > Crime prevention

Keywords

Designing out crime