This article examines the increasing recruitment of children and adolescents by organized crime groups and frames this phenomenon as a growing security challenge for Germany. Current findings from Europol and national law enforcement agencies indicate that minors are increasingly being targeted for serious offenses such as arson, violent crimes, and drug trafficking. Under the "Crime as a Service" business model, criminal networks benefit from the low cost of employing minors; because these youths often lack knowledge about the ringleaders, the risk of prosecution for the actual perpetrators is reduced. At the same time, children and adolescents become not only perpetrators but also victims of criminal exploitation and long-term entanglement in criminal structures.
Particular attention is paid to the digital recruitment strategies employed by organized crime. Social media, messaging services, and gaming platforms facilitate low-threshold outreach to young people, normalizing violence and glorifying criminal lifestyles. Minors facing adverse family or socioeconomic circumstances, those with criminal associates, or those with prior involvement in the justice system are at particular risk. The article demonstrates that digital communication spaces not only open up new avenues for recruitment but also significantly increase the reach and speed of these solicitation processes.
In addressing this growing threat, the focus is primarily on prevention efforts. Prevention, youth services, and early intervention programs are considered more effective and sustainable tools. Juvenile crime is not viewed in isolation but is understood as a symptom of deeper-rooted social and criminal dynamics that require a society-wide response. Using practical examples from the Netherlands, Scotland, and Germany, successful prevention programs are presented and analysed in terms of their transferability. In addition, the importance of international cooperation – for example, within the framework of the Europol GRIMM Task Force – as well as the greater integration of online platforms in combating digital recruitment processes is emphasized.
The article concludes with concrete recommendations for policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and prevention practitioners. These include expanding low-threshold counselling services, identifying regional hotspots of risk, scientifically evaluating prevention measures, and fostering closer collaboration between the research community and practitioners. Only by combining rigorous law enforcement action against criminal networks with evidence-based prevention can the exploitation of children and young people by organized crime be effectively countered and their long-term integration into criminal structures prevented.
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About this series
The series informs in a concentrated form about important positions of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung on current topics. The individual issues present key findings and recommendations, offer brief analyses, explain the Foundation's further plans and name KAS contact persons.