"I will contribute with socio-economic perspectives on youth crime. One aspect is the cost to society, victims for instance, and what measures could be economically beneficial," says Bhuller, who has conducted research on young criminals.
"The other contribution is my own research. I have examined crime victims, the effects of imprisonment, and the characteristics of children and young people who commit offenses."
Increase in young criminals
According to the government's press release in Norwegian, there are around 200 very active offenders under the age of 18 who repeatedly commit crimes and account for much of the increase in youth crime.
Furthermore, it states that children and young people who commit offenses often face significant and complex challenges, such as substance abuse problems, poor mental health, and difficult home conditions. They more often have contact with child welfare services and perform worse in school.
Bhuller has also seen this in his own research.
"The children and young people we are talking about here are simply very vulnerable. This is a crucial perspective to take into the work. When proposing new measures, we must always assess what is best for the children. This is something the group works on extensively."
High intensity work
County Governor Knut Storberget leads the group of seven members, which also includes lawyers, clinical psychologists, a judge, and a police inspector. The task force's work is to be delivered by March 1, 2025.
This means the group meets frequently and works intensively to finish. Bhuller just came from a two-day meeting with the group last weekend.
"For my part, this is very educational. It gives me the opportunity to understand the issue from many different viewpoints."
"But regardless of what we come up with and suggest as measures, it has to be knowledge-based."
"That is my starting point," concludes the economics professor.