Mikkel Mertz, Rockwool Foundation

"School Transitions and Victim-Offender Dynamics"

School transitions reshape children’s locations, peers and routines. We study the consequences for crime victimisation, linking police and school enrolment records from New Zealand’s Integrated Data Infrastructure. Using a regression discontinuity in time design around institutionally scheduled transitions into intermediate (Year 7) and secondary (Year 9) school, we show that reported victimisation rises by about 22% at transition. The increase is driven by assaults and concentrated among students who change schools rather than those who stay. Assaults by friends rise by around 42%. School transitions are key windows for victimisation prevention.

Joint with Anna Bindler, Nadine Ketel, Livvy Mitchell, and Peer Ebbesen Skov.

For more information about Mikkel Mertz and his interesting work, see his website.

Contact person: Robert Mahlstedt