Recently, the Oulu Police noticed an alarming trend in the increase of assault crimes -- and decided to thoroughly examine crime statistics. Oulu has more unemployed youths that rely on assistance from the state than the rest of the country. In their study however, the police found that violence has risen particularly in the cities of Vantaa and Turku over the past five years.
In Vantaa, aggravated assault is up by a third. However, the city with the most trouble is Turku, where crimes have skyrocketed by 80 percent over the five year period.
Police say a typical scenario leading to violence is that of a stumbling, young intoxicated Finnish man, wandering streets lined with bars and night grills. They say that after a long night of barhopping, it doesn't take much to spark a fight among others in the same bewildered state.
"The smallest things can lead to fights erupting," says Police Sergeant Irmeli Korhonen at the Oulu Police.
Police are also being called to intervene more often in violence in the home. Still, authorities say only a fraction of domestic violence cases are reported.
Police are now questioning whether the surge in street violence is linked to an overall pattern of violent behaviour.
"There's definitely a danger that children who witness violent behaviour may themselves become assaulters," adds Korhonen.