Mojca M. Plesničar delivered a lecture entitled Youth, Rules and Boundaries: Social Myths, Reality and the Role of Schools at a professional meeting for principals of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools.
Drawing on a criminological perspective, she explored changing patterns of delinquent and violent behaviour among young people and highlighted the gap between empirical evidence and the often alarmist perceptions of today’s youth. The data paint a far more complex picture: while the most serious forms of violence and crime remain relatively rare, the ways and contexts in which young people cross boundaries are changing, with physical and digital spaces becoming increasingly intertwined.
The second part of the lecture focused on the role of schools in teaching and establishing rules and boundaries. Particular emphasis was placed on the distinction between educational responses to violations and the broader educational role of schools, which involves clear and predictable rules, consistent and proportionate responses, high-quality relationships, and procedural justice. Everyday experiences of how authority functions are an important part of the process through which young people develop self-regulation, internalise norms, and shape their attitudes towards rules and their legitimacy.
