More vulnerable teens placed in institutions for young criminals

Psychiatry expert calls the situation “appalling”

Lucie Rychla

The number of mentally-vulnerable teens placed in secure institutions together with youngsters convicted of crimes more than tripled in Denmark from 34 in 2010 to 114 in 2015, according to figures from Danske Regioner.

Teenagers with serious drug addictions, mental illnesses or self-harm tendencies are increasingly being placed in one of Denmark’s eight secure institutions for criminal children and youth, because other public institutions cannot handle them.

According to Ann-Karina Henriksen, a postdoc researcher at Aalborg University, the vulnerable youth are placed in the secure institutions even though they have not committed any crime and do not receive the right treatment there.

“The staff are hired to take care of criminals, and it shows in their rehabilitation approach, activities and the decor of the wards,” Henriksen told Information.

READ MORE: Danish youth set record in self-harm

Anne Marie Christensen, the head of the association for child and adolescent psychiatry, has called the situation “appalling”.

Many of the kids and teenagers were sent to the secure institutions because they posed a danger to themselves or others.

According to Danske Regioner, there were a total of 475 boys and 52 girls in the institutions in 2015, and every sixth had a non-Danish background.

TOP STORIES

  • For the first time, Danish won’t be used in Folketing parliamentary work

    For the first time, Danish won’t be used in Folketing parliamentary work

    Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam, a member of the Greenlandic party Siumut and a member of Parliament, said that she would use only her mother tongue during the Folketing’s question time sessions. As a result, Parliament decided to trial simultaneous interpretation.

  • Not without my ryebread

    Not without my ryebread

    If you want to learn more about the Danes, it’s a good idea to look at what they eat – and how they eat. A large study on Danish food culture points to rye bread for lunch and dinner, and hygge is associated with eating together. Even though fewer Danes do exactly that

  • An international living in Denmark is the world’s best teacher

    An international living in Denmark is the world’s best teacher

    The British Peter Tunna, an international working as a teacher at the North Zealand International School, won the ICA Teacher Awards. He is the first person from Denmark to achieve this. “You need to make an effort to integrate into Danish society and culture—you can’t just expect it to come to you or happen automatically,” he says.

  • How is Denmark addressing violence against women

    How is Denmark addressing violence against women

    According to a report from the Ministry of Justice, partner killing is the second most common type of murder, and women are victims in 83% of the cases, all of them killed by men. Regarding the gender gap, women earn, on average, 12.4% less than men. While Denmark is one of the safest places for women in the world, the issues are far from being solved.

  • Danish climate minister disappointed with new global climate agreement

    Danish climate minister disappointed with new global climate agreement

    The UN climate summit COP29 ended with a new target for climate financing. However, the world’s countries could not agree on an agreement on fossil fuels. Denmark’s climate minister and NGOs criticize the outcome of the climate summit

  • The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    Signe Biering, an executive coach trained in psychology with a background in diplomacy, explains how over-reliance on intuition in decision-making can hinder cross-cultural collaboration. She highlights Denmark’s cultural tendency to trust gut feelings and authenticity but warns of its risks in diverse teams. Biering advocates for leaders to challenge instincts, embrace differences, and balance intuition with analytical thinking to foster trust, collaboration, and growth.

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    Signe Biering, an executive coach trained in psychology with a background in diplomacy, explains how over-reliance on intuition in decision-making can hinder cross-cultural collaboration. She highlights Denmark’s cultural tendency to trust gut feelings and authenticity but warns of its risks in diverse teams. Biering advocates for leaders to challenge instincts, embrace differences, and balance intuition with analytical thinking to foster trust, collaboration, and growth.

  • “Talents, start using AI tools now,” says Siri and Change.org founder

    “Talents, start using AI tools now,” says Siri and Change.org founder

    In an exclusive interview with The Copenhagen Post, the founder of Siri and Change.org, and currently VP of AI Experience at Airbnb, gives young talents advice on how to deal with the job market changed by artificial intelligence.

  • “Without internationals, we wouldn’t have the people we need,” says Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies

    “Without internationals, we wouldn’t have the people we need,” says Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies

    Fujifilm’s Hillerød facility thrives with a diverse workforce, employing over 1,800 people from more than 65 nationalities. Morten Munk, Director of Global Alliance Management, highlights how the company’s rapid growth relies on attracting international talent due to Denmark’s limited pool of scientific professionals.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs