President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, made evaluations on the topic “Why is the number of children involved in crime increasing?” Tarhan stated that the most important factors leading children into crime are weak family bonds and digitalization. He emphasized that children experiencing identity confusion during adolescence become more vulnerable to crime when family support is insufficient, highlighting that today’s youth are more fragile compared to previous generations. He also drew attention to the importance of families spending quality time with their children and creating a safe home environment through digital detox. Stressing that fear-based and incorrect education methods increase crime and distance children from their families, Tarhan underlined that children should not be educated through fear but by strengthening their feelings of shame and compassion.
How are children drawn into crime?
Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, pointing out that weak family bonds and digitalization push children toward crime, said: “When we analyze children who are dragged into crime, two main reasons stand out the most. The first is weak family bonds, the second is digitalization. These two factors cause children to acquire knowledge at an early age that is not in parallel with their developing psyche. When children encounter this information, they cannot make correct decisions. The inadequacy of their parents’ guidance and weak family ties lead the child toward criminal behavior at an early age. They become candidates for crime, and when elements arise that can trigger crime, they can easily become involved in it.”
“At this stage they enter a period of searching for their own identity”
Tarhan stated that children experience identity confusion during adolescence: “Early adolescence generally starts around the age of 12, though some children may enter puberty between 10 and 12. When a child reaches adolescence, they ask questions like ‘Who am I? Where should I go? Why?’ At this stage, they enter a period of searching for their identity. During this process, they experience identity confusion, an identity chaos. In this chaos, they make mistakes, stumble, rise again, and over time form their own identity. They are influenced by society, family, and social interactions, and eventually find their identity. These children are not only our children but also the children of the society we live in.”
“Today’s youth are more fragile compared to previous generations”
Emphasizing the importance of children developing a sense of accountability, Tarhan said: “The socio-economic environment certainly creates a type of atmosphere that pushes children toward crime. High expectations, weakening family bonds, and such factors weaken children’s sense of responsibility. That is, accountability is very important for children. From an early age, children must develop a sense of accountability toward their mothers, families, and society. When this feeling weakens, the child becomes a candidate for crime and more fragile. Today’s youth are more fragile compared to previous generations.”
“In families who spend time together, crime and violence decline”
Tarhan emphasized the need for families to spend more time with their children: “In families who spend time together, crime and violence incidents decline. However, now children want quality togetherness, and it is not enough just to sit in the same room. Everyone has a mobile phone in their hands. Therefore, families need to do digital detox. It is important to deprive children of the digital environment at certain hours and certain days of the week and ensure face-to-face interaction. Face-to-face conversation and sharing are essential. Talking about right and wrong together, sharing experiences is a must. In families with quality togetherness, even if children are exposed to crime or negative influences such as drug addiction, they can recognize their mistakes and return. The home being a safe space is very important. Children must love their homes. If children love their homes and the home is a safe place, when they face a situation related to crime outside, they can talk to their parents. A child may experiment once or twice but realizes that outside relationships are fake and finds real trust in the family, returning back home. The magical concept here is the home being a safe space. As parents, we cannot apply old child-rearing methods to today’s children. Today’s children live in a different era. In fact, Hazrat Ali once said: ‘Do not raise children according to the era you live in, but according to the era they will live in.’ If we say, ‘This is how I was raised by my parents’ and educate our children accordingly, we may lose them. Therefore, we must raise children according to the realities they will face 10–20 years from now.”
Let us educate children not by fear, but by strengthening feelings of shame and compassion!
Tarhan pointed out that children searching for happiness outside are dragged into crime: “When we look at families where children tend toward crime and violence, we see that family bonds are weak. Either the families are broken, or there is constant tension at home. Children come home with fear. Fear-based education in this era increases crime and distances children from their families. Spoiling the child is also not correct. Let us educate children not by fear, but by strengthening their feelings of shame and compassion. It is also not appropriate to have an overly casual relationship with the child. What matters here is being a companion to our children on the road of life. We will treat them like grown-ups but will not expect adult behavior. Parents who can listen to their children solve problems with them much more easily. However, nowadays parents constantly feel time pressure and often approach their children with orders and commands. In this case, children seek happiness outside. Children who search for happiness outside can easily turn toward crime.”
“The state needs to change its current policies”
Emphasizing that family policies need to be reviewed, Tarhan said: “The state needs to change its current policies. The unity and integrity of family policies must be reviewed again. Already, our fertility rate has dropped to the bottom in Europe, and Türkiye’s population has entered a serious decline trend. For this reason, 2025 has been declared the Year of the Family. In other words, the family policies implemented until now must be reconsidered and restructured. Families must be strengthened. Most importantly, short-, medium-, and long-term efforts must be made. Short-term efforts should cover rehabilitation and social work related to children currently involved in or dragged into crime. This issue must be seriously supported with projects. This problem cannot be solved with advice or public relations campaigns. It requires projects, planned and concrete steps. Children’s need to prove themselves and their vulnerability to social media influences during adolescence must be managed by producing positive alternatives. However, for this, serious resources must be allocated. Current resources are not sufficient. The resources to be allocated to this field are no less important than those allocated to National Defense.”