Juvenile delinquency and drug dependence in Hungary

Abstract

It is regretable that the delinquency has increased in Hungary over the past 15 years. This fact occurred because criminality increased to a greater extent than average, and this means a steady supply of adult criminals. According to the surveys of the forensic psychiatrical records carried out over the 4 years between 1987–1990 in archival material of our Department, the criminological factors which occured most frequently in juvenile delinquency among the 14–18-year-old age group are immature personality, endangered family background and inadequate school attendance. Thirty percent of criminal acts could be connected with alcoholism, 65% with theft, and 22% with aggressive delinquency. An important role in the increasing juvenile delinquency must be attributed to the crisis of the previous regime, including the faulty endeavours in child and youth protection and the inefficient school system. The decrease in living standards and the employment of women in work contributed to the loosening of family relations and the dereliction of children's education. The proportion of institutional young people among the perpetrators is high. Another factor with regard to the disadvantageous situation is the migration of young people to the towns from villages. Without the necessary conditions and with the poor company of friends, this presents an intensified criminological danger. Prevention is obviously of outstanding importance. The improvement of the economic situation, stability of families, substantial changes in school reform, the fight against alcoholism and the modern judicial regulation can be the means to achieve this goal.