Delinquent Youths Sociodemographic Characteristics: A Study of 2068 Official Data

Abstract

Juvenile delinquency is a critical social problem around the globe. As vulnerable beings, it is critical to understand the reasons behind children’s involvement in crime. The aim of the present study is to determine the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of juvenile delinquents in North Cyprus. The population of this research is formed by juvenile delinquent cases which are taken from the archival records of the General Directorate of Police spanning 2008-2018 in Northern Cyprus. In this direction, 2068 official police records are examined by quantitative research methods, frequency analysis and Pearson chi-square tests were applied to the data. The findings contribute to understanding the dimensions of juvenile delinquency in the country. Northern Cyprus is not recognised as an independent republic, and compared to other European countries Cyprus still has low crime rates for both adult and juvenile offenders. We determined that most delinquent youths in the 16–17 age group, attending school and mostly involved in property crime. The highest rate of involvement in crime is in the biggest three cities in which both social and physical disorders are highly ranked, while social control is low. Identifying the factors behind juvenile delinquency is vital to contributing to social policies and psychosocial support mechanisms on this issue. Keywords: juvenile delinquency, official record, crime