The increase in violent crimes involving young people aged 12 to 16 in 2021 has prompted the Government to take action. According to this Monday's edition of Diário de Notícias, the Minister of Internal Administration has activated a special multidisciplinary team to stop the increase in juvenile crime.

Paulo Vizeu Pinheiro, the Secretary-General of Internal Security, presented the Annual Internal Security Report and also the latest figures on juvenile crime before the Prime Minister.

The increase in crimes committed by young people led the Minister of Internal Administration, José Luís Carneiro, to propose the creation of a "special multidisciplinary team" to seek measures to stop the phenomenon of youth gangs which, despite being a reality in many other countries, has only just begun to become an issue in Portugal.

"The Ministry of Internal Administration is aware that these phenomena - which include those within the scope of juvenile delinquency - constitute a challenge that threatens social tranquillity and require an increased effort in the adoption of adequate solutions, which is why it is creating a team of interdisciplinary task force for the analysis of these phenomena and involving different government areas", said official source of the ministry.