How Are Types of Offences Among Children Changing? From Theft to Drug Offences

Types of offences among children are changing: in Çorum, theft fell while property damage and drug offences rose. What does this mean for families?

When a child's name enters a police record, behind that record there is usually a family, a school, a neighbourhood and a story of development that is not yet complete. Studies on types of offences among children shed light not only on the question of "how many children" but also on "which behaviours, and why". An academic study examining TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) data for Çorum shows a striking change over ten years: among economically motivated offences, the share of theft fell, while the shares of property damage and offences involving narcotic or stimulant substances rose. In this article we read this change without stigma, from the perspective of child development and the role of the family. The expression "children pushed into crime" used in this article reflects the Turkish legal term (suça sürüklenen çocuk); most of these children are also children at risk who need protection.

Types of Offences Among Children in Çorum: What Do the Figures Say?

Provincial data for Çorum come from a master's thesis completed by Özcan at Ondokuz Mayıs University in 2021, which reports TÜİK's provincial tables for 2008–2017. More recent provincial tables could not be accessed.

Change in economically motivated allegations (2008 → 2017):

• The share of theft fell from 81.5% to 49.1%.
• The share of property damage rose from 11.8% to 32.6%.
• The share of offences involving narcotic or stimulant substances rose from zero in 2008 to 10.9% (23 incidents) in 2017.

Among other offences, assault causing injury remained the largest category: its share fell from 69.7% to 65.1%.

Repeat rates are striking. In 2017, 88.5% of children brought to the security services on drug-related allegations had come more than once for the same type of offence; this was the highest value in the TR83 region, which also includes Samsun, Tokat and Amasya. Among those brought in on theft allegations, the repeat rate was 71.2%.

Most of the children are in school. In 2017, the largest group among children pushed into crime in Çorum was upper-secondary (lise) students, numbering 377. In other words, children who have dropped out of school are not the only group at risk.

The overall picture. The number of incidents in which children came or were brought to the security services in Çorum after being pushed into crime was 630 in 2008 and 868 in 2017. Over the same period, the province's child population fell by about 18%. In 2017, the ratio of these incidents to the child population is calculated at around 6.7 per thousand in Çorum and around 4.7 per thousand in Turkey. However, Samsun (6.9 per thousand), Tokat (6.6) and Amasya (6.2) fall within the same band; in other words, the picture is regional rather than specific to Çorum.

The current picture in Turkey. According to news reports citing TÜİK bulletins, the number of incidents in which children came to the security services after being pushed into crime in Turkey was 178,834 in 2023, 202,785 in 2024 and 196,308 in 2025. In 2025, about 72% of these children were aged 15–17; 41.6% of the alleged offences were assault causing injury, and 9.7% involved narcotic or stimulant substances.

The limits of the data

These figures are numbers of incidents, not numbers of individual children; the same child may be counted more than once in a year. Provincial data for Çorum after 2018 could not be obtained. There is a one-year spike in 2015 (1,557 incidents), returning to usual levels the following year; this may be an effect related to recording or repeat contacts rather than a lasting trend. In calculating ratios, the numerator and denominator may not use exactly the same definition; ratios should therefore be considered approximate. Finally, an increase in records can sometimes reflect changes in reporting and detection practices rather than an increase in the behaviour itself.

Why Are Types of Offences Among Children Changing? A Sociological Reading

There is no study specific to Çorum that directly examines the reasons for the shift from theft towards property damage and drug offences. However, the data and the wider literature point to some possible factors:

From need to impulsivity. Theft is often associated with material need. Property damage, by contrast, is more often linked to anger, impulsivity, proving oneself within a peer group or acting out distress. This shift suggests that the risks have moved from economic deprivation towards the emotional and social sphere.

Changing access to substances. The fact that drug-related offences did not appear at all in 2008 but took a noticeable share in 2017, together with a very high repeat rate, may indicate that substances have entered the world of children and adolescents more. No official data on substance use in Çorum could be found.

The growing weight of the peer group. Çorum's child population is shrinking and households are getting smaller. In adolescence, the peer group already becomes as influential as the family; where the family's and the extended family's ability to keep an eye on young people weakens, the influence of peers may grow even further.

Weakening ties with school and family. In a study carried out at Hitit University by Bektaş in 2022 with 341 teachers in Çorum, teachers ranked the most important risks for being pushed into crime as follows: absenteeism and dropping out of school (77.1%), use of harmful substances (73.6%), parental attitudes and family cohesion (69.2%), and working on the streets (64.5%).

Common factors across Turkey. A review of 64 studies conducted in Turkey between 1980 and 2020 (Aslan, 2021) shows that neglect, abuse, poverty and family breakdown are important factors in children being pushed into crime.

The Child Behind the Behaviour: A Psychological Reading

Risk-taking in adolescence

Adolescence is a period in which the brain's reward system develops rapidly while the regions that regulate impulses have not yet matured. That is why adolescents are more inclined to seek excitement and take more risks, especially when they are with their peers. It is therefore common for a young person to do something within a group that they would never do alone. We look at the influence of peers in more detail in our article on peer pressure.

Anger and acting out

Damaging property is often the outward expression of anger, frustration or helplessness that cannot be put into words. A young person experiencing conflict at home, failure at school or exclusion may turn to such behaviour when they do not know another way to regulate their emotions. The behaviour is something to be addressed, but it is also a message to be understood.

Substances and the attempt to self-medicate

Some young people who use substances may be trying to cope with intense anxiety, depressive feelings, traumatic experiences or attention difficulties. Among 189 children pushed into crime who were assessed at a university hospital in Turkey between 2014 and 2018 (Yıldız and colleagues, 2019), at least one psychiatric disorder was identified in 72.5%, yet only 8.5% were under regular follow-up. This finding shows that the mental health needs behind the behaviour often go unmet. We explore the signs of substance use in young people in our article on substance use in adolescents.

Repetition and labelling

High repeat rates show how critical the period after the first contact is. According to labelling theory, a child who is seen as a "criminal" may come to adopt this identity over time: being viewed this way at school, in the neighbourhood and in the family pushes them further towards the same peer group. For this reason, support, monitoring and rehabilitation after the first contact can be more decisive than punishment.

Girls and intertwined risks

Although the great majority of children pushed into crime are boys, girls should not be overlooked. In 2017, 13.7% of children pushed into crime in Çorum were girls; this share was the second highest in the TR83 region after Amasya. The literature shows that among girls, victimisation and being pushed into crime are often intertwined, and that symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress are more common. For this reason, behind a girl's behaviour, it is first necessary to understand her safety and what she has been through.

Some hopeful knowledge

In developmental psychology, according to Moffitt's distinction, most rule-breaking behaviour seen in adolescence is "adolescence-limited" and fades on its own in adulthood. In a smaller group, where the behaviour begins in early childhood and persists, early and intensive support is especially important. In other words, the mistake a young person makes today does not have to determine their future.

A child's behaviour is not their whole story; it is often the first sentence of a trouble they cannot yet put into words.

Let us imagine a fifteen-year-old upper-secondary student who is gradually drifting away from lessons while their family struggles with financial difficulties and constant arguments. With a new group of friends, they stay out late in the evenings; one night, the group damages benches in a park. The family first reacts with anger, then falls silent in shame. In this fictional example, what the young person needs is not only a sanction; it is also support to help them reconnect with school, to talk through the tension at home, and to learn to express their anger in other ways.

Practical Suggestions for Families and Schools

For families

• Keep warmth and boundaries together. Research shows that parenting which is both loving and sets clear rules is the most protective approach. Neither excessive freedom nor harsh punishment works on its own.
• Know where they are and who they are with. Getting to know your young person's friends, inviting them home and asking without accusation where they are during the day are the healthiest forms of monitoring.
• Take early signs seriously. A sudden change of friends, missing school, money or belongings going missing without explanation, changes in sleep and appetite, and excessive irritability all deserve attention.
• Do not turn conversation into interrogation. Instead of "Why did you do it?", the question "What's going on, and how can I help you?" keeps the door open.
• Manage your own anger. The family's first reaction after an incident can determine whether the child accepts support.

For schools

• Absenteeism is one of the earliest warning signs of weakening attachment to school; fast communication between the guidance service and the family is important.
• Sports, arts and club activities offer young people both a safe peer group and an experience of success.
• In Bektaş's study, most teachers considered early identification and monitoring measures to be effective; this shows that the school is a natural point of contact for prevention.

When Should You Seek Professional Support?

It is advisable to seek support from a child and adolescent mental health professional in the following situations:

• If outbursts of anger, damaging belongings or fights keep recurring
• If you suspect substance use or substance use has come to light
• If there is marked absenteeism and a clear drop in school performance
• If the young person has had contact with the security services even once; this period is very important for preventing repetition
• If withdrawal, hopelessness, or changes in sleep and appetite are seen

Situations such as altered consciousness after substance use, a risk of harm to oneself or others, or thoughts of self-harm or ending one's life are emergencies: call 112 (emergency services). The medical aspects of substance use require an assessment by a psychiatrist.

How Is Risky Behaviour in Adolescents Addressed in Therapy?

In therapy, the aim is not to excuse the young person's behaviour but to understand and change the factors that feed it. In cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), the situations that trigger anger, the thoughts that come to mind in those situations ("They don't respect me", "If I back down, I'll be crushed") and the behaviour that follows are examined together. Work focuses on emotion regulation, problem solving, being able to say "no" and coping with peer pressure.

Family sessions are an integral part of this process: strengthening parents' skills in setting consistent boundaries, positive communication and monitoring is key to preventing repetition. If there are co-occurring conditions such as substance use, attention difficulties, depression or trauma, these are assessed separately, and where necessary the work is carried out in cooperation with a psychiatrist. Adolescent counselling, provided face to face in Çorum and online, can support both the young person and their family during this process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most noticeable change in types of offences among children?

According to TÜİK data for Çorum covering 2008–2017, among economically motivated allegations the share of theft fell from 81.5% to 49.1%, while property damage rose from 11.8% to 32.6% and offences involving narcotic or stimulant substances rose from zero to 10.9%.

Do these data show that children in Çorum are more at risk?

No, such a generalisation would not be accurate. In 2017, the ratio in Çorum was in the same band as neighbouring provinces, and the picture is regional. The data are numbers of incidents, not of individuals; up-to-date provincial data could not be found in published sources either.

Does a child who has been to the police station once mean they are on the path to crime?

No. Most rule-breaking behaviour in adolescence is temporary. However, the period after the first contact is very important; family support, a bond with school and, where necessary, psychological support are decisive in preventing repetition.

I suspect my child is using substances. What should I do?

Try to stay calm, talk without accusing or threatening, and share your observations in concrete terms. Seek support from a child and adolescent mental health professional and, where necessary, a psychiatrist; if there is a medical emergency, call 112 (emergency services).

• #children pushed into crime
• #risk-taking in adolescence
• #substance use
• #Çorum

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Eda Erkan Alapala

Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.

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