Children Pushed into Crime in Çorum: The Data and the Psychology Before Offending

What do figures on children pushed into crime in Çorum tell us? Risk and protective factors, early warning signs and preventive steps for families.

When a child's name enters a police record, that record is usually not the beginning of a story but the result of signs that have gone unnoticed for a long time. Data on children pushed into crime in Çorum shows why it matters to see these signs earlier. According to a master's thesis prepared at Ondokuz Mayıs University that draws on TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) provincial tables (Özcan, 2021), in 2017 the ratio of incidents in which children were brought to or came to the security units because of being pushed into crime, relative to the child population, was approximately 6.7 per thousand in Çorum and approximately 4.7 per thousand in Turkey. However, the same study shows that neighbouring provinces (Samsun, Tokat, Amasya) fall within a similar band; in other words, the picture is regional rather than specific to Çorum. In this article we will try to read the data without stigmatising, and to understand the risk factors that can push children into crime and the factors that protect them. "Child pushed into crime" (suça sürüklenen çocuk) is a legal term in Turkey, and most of these children are also children at risk.

Children Pushed into Crime in Çorum: What Do the Figures Say?

The key findings, compiled from Özcan's (2021) study based on TÜİK data and from another thesis carried out at Hitit University (Bektaş, 2022), are as follows:

• Rate: In 2017 there were 868 incidents of children brought to or coming to the security units because of being pushed into crime. Relative to the population aged 0–17, this comes to approximately 6.7 per thousand. In neighbouring provinces the rates are 6.9 per thousand in Samsun, 6.6 in Tokat and 6.2 in Amasya.
• Change over ten years: Between 2008 and 2017, while Çorum's population aged 0–17 fell by about 18 per cent, incidents of being pushed into crime rose from 630 to 868, an increase of about 38 per cent.
• Child victims: Every year the largest group is children who come in as victims. In 2017 this number was 1,702, roughly twice the number of children pushed into crime.
• Change in types of offence: Among economically motivated allegations, the share of theft fell from 81.5 per cent in 2008 to 49.1 per cent in 2017. The share of criminal damage rose from 11.8 per cent to 32.6 per cent, and the share of drug and stimulant offences rose from zero to 10.9 per cent.
• Repetition: In 2017, 88.5 per cent of children who came in with a drug-related allegation, and 71.2 per cent of those who came in with a theft allegation, had come to the security units more than once for the same type of offence.
• School: In 2017 the largest group among children pushed into crime was high-school students (377).
• Girls: In 2017, 13.7 per cent of children pushed into crime were girls.
• Turkey as a whole: According to news reports citing TÜİK's 2025 bulletin, there were 196,308 incidents involving children pushed into crime in Turkey; about 72 per cent of these were in the 15–17 age group.

The limits of the data

A few points are very important when reading these figures. First, TÜİK data show the number of incidents, not the number of individual children; the same child can be counted more than once in a year. Second, provincial data for Çorum could only be obtained up to 2017; more recent provincial data could not be found. Third, the rates are approximate values calculated within the scope of this research. The one-year spike seen in 2015 (1,557 incidents) is also not a lasting trend but most likely a sign of repeat contacts or a recording effect. The high number of victims, meanwhile, may mean "more reporting and recording" as much as "more violence".

Possible Factors in Children Being Pushed into Crime in Çorum

No child is born "prone to crime". The literature shows that being pushed into crime arises from a combination of several risk factors. A review of 64 studies carried out in Turkey between 1980 and 2020 (Aslan, 2021) reports that neglect, abuse, poverty and family breakdown are among the important factors.

In a study carried out with 341 teachers in Çorum (Bektaş, 2022), the risk statements teachers most supported were:

• Absenteeism and dropping out of school (77.1 per cent)
• Harmful substance use (73.6 per cent)
• Parental attitudes and family cohesion (69.2 per cent)
• Working on the streets (64.5 per cent)

Looking at these findings and the data, we can speak of the following possible factors:

A weakening bond with school. The fact that most children pushed into crime are high-school students shows that being in school is not enough on its own. What matters is the child feeling they belong at school and being able to form a meaningful bond with a teacher or a group of friends.

Substances and the peer group. The rising share of drug offences and the high repetition rate point to the peer group and first contact with substances being an important area of risk in adolescence. Peer pressure is one of the main factors that make it hard to say "no" at this age.

Difficulties within the family. Reduced parental attention and supervision, conflict within the family or financial hardship can make it harder for a child to feel safe at home.

The fine line between victimisation and offending. The high number of child victims is a reminder that children who experience victimisation may come to be at risk over time. The anger and insecurity of a child who has experienced neglect or abuse may be expressed in later years as rule-breaking.

Smaller families and increasingly isolated teenagers. At a time when the child population is falling and households are getting smaller, teenagers turning more towards groups outside the family may be a possible factor.

These factors are not definite causes but possible explanations to be considered together.

A Psychological Reading: What a Child Goes Through Before Offending

Being pushed into crime is usually not a sudden break but a process. Understanding what may be happening in a child's inner world in the earlier stages of this process is critical for prevention.

The need to belong

In adolescence, belonging to a group is almost as basic a need as food and sleep. A young person who feels unseen at home or at school may turn to the first group that accepts them. That group's rules, however, may not always be safe.

Impulsivity and risk-taking

While the adolescent brain develops rapidly in its search for reward and excitement, the skills of weighing consequences and holding back impulses mature more slowly. An increase in behaviours such as criminal damage may be linked less to material need than to impulsivity, anger and "showing courage" within the group.

Feelings that cannot be expressed

Many children cannot put their sadness, fear or shame into words; instead they show it through anger, rule-breaking or risk-taking. Let us say that a fifteen-year-old boy is growing up in a home where his parents argue constantly. His marks at school drop, he starts skipping lessons and comes home late in the evenings. His family interprets this as "he's started going off the rails". Yet underneath his behaviour there may be a need to escape the tension at home and to belong somewhere.

Mental health needs

In a study of 189 children pushed into crime who were assessed at a university hospital (Yıldız et al., 2019), at least one psychiatric disorder was identified in 72.5 per cent of the children; yet only 8.5 per cent were in regular follow-up. This finding suggests that most of these children carry mental health needs that have gone unnoticed and unsupported.

A quieter picture in girls

Although the great majority of children pushed into crime are boys, the fact that in Çorum in 2017 about fourteen in every hundred were girls shows that this group needs to be considered separately. International reviews report that depression and post-traumatic stress are more common among girls in custody. In girls, risk may often appear not as outbursts of anger but as withdrawal, distancing from home or unsafe relationships. For this reason early warning signs in girls can be more easily overlooked; in this area, where victimisation and being pushed into crime can be intertwined, a careful and protective perspective is needed.

A hopeful piece of knowledge

According to an important framework in developmental psychology (Moffitt, 1993), most rule-breaking behaviour seen in adolescence is limited to adolescence and decreases in adulthood. In a smaller group, behaviour begins in early childhood and persists; early and intensive support matters most for this group. In other words, a child making a mistake once does not determine their future; with the right support, changing direction is possible.

Behind every child pushed into crime there is often a need waiting to be seen; noticing early is far more protective than stigmatising.

Practical Suggestions for Families, Schools and Institutions

For families:

• Be involved and set boundaries. Warm parenting with clear boundaries stands out in the literature as one of the strongest protective factors.
• Know where your child is and who they are with. This is not surveillance but a sign of interest. Getting to know their friends and inviting them home is a good start.
• Create regular times to talk. Dinner or a short walk offers natural opportunities for a young person to open up.
• Watch for early warning signs. A sudden drop in marks, not going to school, a new circle of friends you don't know, unexplained money or belongings, and marked changes in sleep patterns can be important signs.
• Approach with curiosity, not anger. Asking "What's going on, how can I help you?" instead of "What have you done?" keeps communication open.

For schools:

• Monitor absenteeism early. Rising absenteeism is one of the most important early warning signs.
• Work with the guidance service. Regular communication between teachers, the school counsellor and the family allows a problem to be noticed before it grows.
• Strengthen attachment to school. Sport, art and club activities help young people find their place at school.

For institutions: In Bektaş's (2022) study, the great majority of teachers found early identification and monitoring measures effective. Cooperation between social service centres, schools, families and health institutions, and above all not leaving the child alone after first contact, is key to preventing repetition.

When Should You Seek Professional Support?

Going against the rules from time to time is part of development in adolescence. However, it is important to seek support from a professional in the following situations:

• If absenteeism and the wish to leave school have become marked
• If you suspect substance use
• If outbursts of anger, fighting or damaging property have become more frequent
• If the child runs away from home or does not come home at night
• If you are worried that the child is experiencing neglect, abuse or bullying
• If the child is harming themselves or talking about hopelessness

In emergencies where the safety of the child or someone else is at risk, call 112 (emergency services) without delay. If a child has had contact with the security units, we have looked separately at the psychological side of what follows in our article on the psychology of a child pushed into crime after the event.

How Is Therapy Carried Out with At-Risk Adolescents?

In working with young people at risk, the aim is not to judge the child but to understand the need behind the behaviour and to support them in gaining new skills. Adolescent counselling can offer a framework for both the young person and the family in this process:

• Building a safe relationship: A therapeutic bond in which the young person is listened to without judgement is the foundation of change.
• Emotional regulation: Skills for coping with anger, frustration and impulses are worked on.
• Cognitive approach: Within the framework of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), the young person is helped to notice thoughts such as "Nobody cares about me anyway" and the mental processes that precede risky decisions.
• Problem-solving and being able to say no: Concrete skills against peer pressure are developed.
• Family work: Collaboration with parents on communication, supervision and setting boundaries.
• Accompanying difficulties: If conditions such as attention deficit, depression or trauma are present, these are addressed; where needed, an assessment by a psychiatrist is recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "child pushed into crime" mean?

It is a legal term describing children under 18 against whom proceedings are taken on the allegation that they carried out an act defined as a crime by law. The term emphasises that a child is often "pushed" into this situation by environmental and personal risk factors, and it is used instead of the stigmatising expression "criminal child".

Why does the rate in Çorum appear higher than in Turkey?

In the available 2017 data, Çorum's rate is above the Turkey average but within the same band as neighbouring provinces. This suggests the picture is regional. In addition, because the data show the number of incidents rather than individual children, repeat contacts can raise the rate.

How can I tell if my child has got in with the wrong crowd?

A sudden change of friends, coming home late, absence from school, secrecy, unexplained money or belongings and marked changes in mood are signs to watch for. It is important to talk with curiosity rather than blame and, where needed, to work with the school.

Can a child who has been involved in crime once turn things around?

Yes, for most children this is possible. Developmental research shows that most rule-breaking behaviour seen in adolescence remains limited to adolescence. Family support, attachment to school and, where needed, psychological support play an important role in preventing repetition.

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• #adolescence
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• #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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