Here’s why sociologists believe crime is rising among GTHA teens

Violent and sometimes deadly crimes involving teens have seemed to explode recently. From the fatal shooting in Niagara Falls involving 17 and 18-year-olds, 13 to 16-year-old girls charged with the stabbing death of a Toronto homeless man in December to a 16-year-old boy charged with stabbing another teen reportedly over a pair of sneakers outside a Hamilton high school.

READ MORE: Toronto police charge 8 teenage girls in death of 59-year-old man

Kaitlyn Mendes, a sociologist at Western University conducted a study where she spoke with 600 teens about their experience with COVID-19 lockdowns.

“These are people who are following the lockdown rules. Don’t engage, don’t socialize in person with other people, socialize online, and again, they were encouraged to do that. Schools went online. Schools were encouraging young people to start WhatsApp groups or use Google classrooms to talk with one another. So again, you know, it’s kind of no surprise if people are feeling isolated or feeling bored,” Mendes said.

READ MORE: Police charge teen after stabbing, robbery near Saltfleet high school

While lockdowns were bad for many teens, returning to normal life may be worse, especially for those who spent their days inside and online.

Humber college sociologist Joshua Harold says the fallout of the pandemic seems to also be weighing large on young people, particularly their futures, “young people especially are still dealing with the economic and social and educational consequences and implications of the pandemic… when you’re being told that everything is back to normal, just resume your normal life, but at the same time, that’s not your experience and that’s not what you are dealing with, and coping with it can be quite difficult to navigate.”

Mendes says concerned parents should try to encourage activities that get teens outside and away from their devices and for parents with even younger kids to teach them the risks of going online and promote an open dialogue with their kids if they have concerns.

READ MORE: Police charge 3 teens after fight, stabbing at Oakville high school