CONSTANTEION

Criminology-Psychology and Forensic Sciences Centre

Member of

The British Society of Criminology

The American Society of Criminology

The International Corrections and Prisons Association

www.constanteion.org.cy

Dr. Constantinos Ch. Constantinides

Youth offending or juvenile delinquency is the social deviant and the criminal behaviour of children or young people. This may include violent and severe delinquent acts, for example sexual abuse, arson, burglary, theft, severe personal injury, murder, possession, trafficking and use of drugs, but usually includes minor or moderate forms of infringement criminal law provisions, such as breach of the Driving Code, illegal night away from home without the approval of parents, theft, consumption of liquor by person under 18 years old.

Young offender is a person who has been convicted or cautioned for a criminal offense. Criminal justice systems often deal with young offenders differently from adult offenders, but different countries apply the term young offender to different age groups, depending from the age of the criminal responsibility. The age for criminal responsibility in Cyprus is the 14 years old, as the most European countries which apply it at the age of 12 to 14 with exception of United Kingdom at the age of 10 years old.

The phenomenon of juvenile delinquency as presented in the records of the Cyprus Statistical Service over the last 30 years is real and serious. There is an upsurge in the years 1996 and 1999 numbered over 500 minors involved in serious crimes and minor offenses, followed by a lower voltage for juvenile crime from 2001 to 2003 with less than 100 reported cases. The complaints coming years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 ranged between 230 and 300. However according to the Analysis and Statistic Office of Cyprus Police, in 2010 there was a sharp increase of juveniles involved in the commission of offences, serious and minor reaching the unbelievable number of 630individuals. Fortunately in 2011 there was a noticeable decrease; the total juveniles offenders involved in delinquencies were 347 and in 2012 were 346.

On the other hand a statistical summary of the

convictions, give us another prospective in the

field. Minors convicted from 1980 to 2003 were

100 or less per year. But in 2004 and 2005, was

observed a sharp increase of minor’s conviction in

Cypriot courts, at the range of 180-250%. This

concerns mostly the possible change of attitude of

the state towards minor offenders through

sanctions.

According to the Analysis and Statistic Office of Cyprus Police, the serious offences that involved juveniles involving Cyprus, are being categorized into: Riot and unlawful assembly The defilement of girls between 13 and 16 years of age The grievous harm The theft of over £500 (€700) Offences involving robbery and extortion Burglary, housebreaking and similar offences The receiving and unlawful possession of property

(Over £500 (700)) Arson or attempt to commit arson

The malicious damage of over £500 (€700)

The forgery, attempt of burglary

The explosive substances

Firearms crimes

Crimes concerning narcotic medicines and psychotropic substances

The violence in athletic stadiums

Cybercrime

The category of crimes which involve other serious and severe crimes.

The minor offences where juveniles are being involved, are categorised into: Offences against public order Offences against the administration of lawful

authority Offences injurious to the public in general The offences against persons Offences relating to property Offences concerning malicious injuries to property Offences of attempts and conspiracies to commit

crimes Offences against various other laws.

The minor delinquency is in most cases episodic, occasional or incidental, and is a main feature of teenage 'explosions' and subsides in intensity and frequency at the end of the age and entering adulthood. However recent years have seen an increasing trend internationally on juvenile crime and especially violent crime as well as increasing multi- recidivist juvenile offenders. Incorrect criminal and social reactions to juvenile crime may consolidate the new criminal behaviour and increase the severity of this in the future.

50% of children with antisocial behaviour would be developed into antisocial adults

50-75% of adolescent offenders will become adult criminals.

According to the classification of mental disorders

in the Diagnostic criteria of American Psychiatric

Association, 2005 (DSM-IV) and the Classification

of Mental Disorders and Behavioural Disorders

World Health Organization WHO, 1997 (IDC-10),

there are behavioural disorders of children which

can possibly been leading to expression of pre-

delinquent or delinquent behaviours.

The conduct disorder of children

The oppositional defiant disorder of children

The disruptive behaviour disorder not otherwise specified (NOS)

Children who can’t pay attention / attention – deficit / hyperactive disorder (ADHD)

Social phobia

Depression and suicidal behaviour

Mood and anxiety disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Antisocial behaviour and drug use.

problematic family environment with physical or emotional absence of parents

low standard of living

being foreigner in a country

degraded urban environment

indifference or excessive strictness parents and teachers

learning difficulties, poor school performance, dropout of school

aggressive behaviour of other peers, creation and activation of juvenile gangs

negative use of internet social networks, video games and electronic gambling.

For sure the figures included in a juvenile environment are catalysts in the psychological development and the build of their character. The parenting models are having the biggest and most important role in this procedure of minors and young adults, and so is that why parents should be very careful how they act, they talk and what they say in front of their children, at list until their adultness. Teachers can also be models and is that why they also should be ten times more careful due to the out of family relationship with minors, give their best self to them and recognize their effort to respond in their responsibilities in such a small ages and with teenage troubling them.

Boy, 16 years old, with fairly good family and economic situation, but intense conflicts within the family, with poor performance in school but exceptional "performances" in the world of night and main occupations of "leisure time“ improvised racing, going to football stadium and pilfering. This is the profile of a juvenile offender of another class, the class of “Elite”. Spawn of a businessman father and a mother with high expectations of an eternal prim exterior appearance and social status, retaining their legal advisers at the forefront in order to have the public image of pure in reality. This class does not belong to the marginalized children on the ice, the common man child.

those which are being done against :

others, violence against persons affected as intimidation and serious injury or death

things or other’s property, vandalism, insulting graffiti, not damage, property damage, or school, etc

themselves; suicidal acts such as use and substances abuse, not taking security measures.

Intimidation Threats Bullying peers and bullying physical bickering Abuse and killing Use of weapons Robbing elderly or peers Sexual coercion for nude photography, internet

exposure or act Racist violence Hooliganism.

Arson

Vandalism and graffiti

Burglary foreign house, building or car

Theft of items without attack victim

Fraud and false pretences to secure goods or favour and forgery

Use and trafficking of drugs

Consume alcohol

Drive a vehicle without driving license

Not fastening their seat belts when driving

Not wearing protective helmet when they drive a motorcycle

Leave the house without permission or informing the parents and not return home for a long time.

Using the silent treatment or refusing to answer questions Anger, aggression and the verbal abuse Ironic and the sarcastic behaviour against police “power” Shame and embarrassment Nervousness and impatience Sweating and nervous tics Tears Intense chatter and myth mania Coldness and neutrality Indifference and laxity Active participation with questions about their rights if they

have read them before.

Bullying and cyber bullying

Physical and verbal abuse from peers

Domestic violence

Sexual abuse

Sports violence

Racist violence

Neglect due to the economic crisis.

It should be noted that a victim of crime can be potentially anyone who is underage. However there is a greater degree of victimization in the following Cases: Young minor Reduced physique, dysplasia, body defect, mentally retarded Foreigners from other countries The sex of the individual matters, for example boys casualties,

particularly violent acts and girls are victims of bullying Lack of supportive family and social context, which lead to

unprotected, unaccompanied children Low self esteem Psychological dependence on the abuser.

frequent silencing of the event, hence the large percentage of silent crime with a minor as victim

appearance of post-traumatic stress disorder, which usually remains undiagnosed and untreated

school failure tendencies such as burns and scratches suicide attempts using substances and alcohol abuse show unjustified violent behaviours penetration of peer groups rarely sought help from their parents due to the fear of

reprimand may seek assistance from a person of trust, for example a

friend, another relative person or a teacher

I. First, no one is being born an offender; however, everyone is a potential one, under the above circumstances we had already mentioned.

II. Second, young offenders should be punished on one hand, but on the other hand should be helped in order to be correct through programs. A juvenile should be protected from bad managements which could make him a permanent and better offender of the law, and also be helped to reinstate as a healthy part of our society.

I. Third, we cannot forget the victims of a crime, and how much they need us; not only to support them and aim for their mental health but also to help them overcome their difficulties. We have to keep into consideration those minor and juvenile victims, precisely due to their vulnerable psychology and victimization they are 400% more potential offenders than anyone else.

II. Fourth, society, socioeconomic status and figure models have a crucial role in the juvenile offending, due to the fact that they are responsible in minors’ psychological development and building of their character, and also most of the time the reasons of psychological disorders and problems a juvenile is called to overcome.

Young offenders is a special category, which in my opinion should be treated differently from other offenders, and always keep in mind that in that case punishment should not feet the crime, excepting crimes against life, but the youth offenders should be treated as their age, immaturity, ignorance, and been helped to correctional and reintegrate society as a healthy part of it, and not being sentenced in imprisonment but being sentenced with alternative Punishment.