Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. 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 to crime are weak family ties and digitalization. Emphasizing that children experiencing identity confusion during adolescence become more susceptible to crime when family support is insufficient, Tarhan highlighted that today's youth are more fragile compared to older 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. Stating that fear-based and incorrect education methods increase crime and alienate children from their families, Tarhan underlined that children should be educated by strengthening their feelings of shame and compassion, rather than by intimidation.
How are children driven to crime?
Stating that weak family ties and digitalization push children into crime, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan began his words by saying; “When we look at the analyses of children driven to crime, there are two prominent reasons. The first is weak family ties, and the second is digitalization. These two factors lead children to acquire information at an early age that is not parallel to their developing psyche. When children encounter this information, they cannot make correct decisions. The inadequacy of their guiding parents and weak family ties cause the child to turn towards criminal behavior at an early age. They become a candidate for crime and can very easily get involved in crime when factors that would influence them arise.”
“During this period, they enter a phase of searching for and finding their own identity”
Stating that children experience identity confusion during adolescence, Tarhan said; “The early adolescence period usually starts around age 12. Some children can enter adolescence between ages 10-12. When a child enters adolescence, they ask questions like ‘Who am I? Where should I go? Why?’ During this period, they enter a phase of searching for and finding their own identity. In this process, they experience identity confusion, an identity chaos. Within this identity chaos, they make mistakes, stumble, and eventually form their own identity. They are influenced by society, their family, social interactions, and find their identity. These children are not just our children, but children of the society we live in.”
“Today's youth are more fragile than previous generations”
Stating that children should have a developed sense of accountability, Tarhan said; “The socioeconomic environment certainly creates a kind of crime-inducing environment. High expectations, weakening family ties, and similar situations weaken the sense of responsibility in children. That is, a sense of accountability is very important in children. At a young age, a sense of accountability towards their mother, society, and family needs to develop. When this feeling weakens in a child, the child becomes a candidate for crime and fragile. Today's youth are more fragile than previous generations.”
“Crime and violence decrease in families who spend time together”
Stating that families should spend more time with their children, Tarhan said; “Crime and violence decrease in families who spend time together. However, children now want quality companionship; just sitting in the same room is not enough. Everyone has a mobile phone. For this reason, families need to do a digital detox. It is important to deprive children of digital environments for certain hours on certain days of the week and provide face-to-face contact.
Face-to-face conversation and sharing are necessary. It is essential to discuss right and wrong together and share experiences. In families with quality companionship, even if a child is exposed to negative influences like crime or drug addiction, they can realize their mistake and return. It is very important for the home to be a safe space. The child needs to love their home. If the child loves their home and the home is a safe space, they can talk to their parents if there is a crime-related situation outside. A child might make one or two attempts but by realizing that outside relationships are fake, they find true trust in the family and return to the family. The magic concept here is for the home to be a safe space. As parents, we can no longer apply old child-rearing methods to children of our era. Today's children live in a different period. Even Hazreti Ali has a saying, ‘Raise your children not according to the age they live in, but according to the age they will live in.’ If we educate our children by saying, ‘I saw it this way from my mother and father,’ we might lose them. Therefore, we must raise children according to the reality they will face 10-20 years later.”
Let's educate children by strengthening their feelings of shame and compassion, not by intimidation!
Stating that children who seek happiness outside are driven to crime, Tarhan said; “When we look at families involved in crime and violence, we see that family ties are weak. Either there are broken families or there is constant tension at home. The child comes home with fear. Fear-based education increases crime in this era, alienating the child from the family. It is also not right to spoil our child here. Let's educate children by strengthening their feelings of shame and compassion, not by intimidation. Establishing an overly casual relationship with our child is also not appropriate. What is important here is to be a companion to our child on the path of life. We will treat them like a grown-up but not expect grown-up behavior. Parents who can listen to their child can solve problems with the child much more easily. However, today, parents constantly feel time pressure and often approach their children with commands and orders. In this situation, the child seeks happiness outside. Children who seek happiness outside easily turn to crime.”
“The state needs to change its current policies”
Emphasizing that family policies need to be re-evaluated, Tarhan concluded his words by saying; “The state needs to change its current policies. The unity and integrity of family policies must be re-evaluated. Our fertility rate has already fallen to the bottom in Europe, and Turkey's population has entered a serious decline trend. Therefore, 2025 was declared the Year of the Family. This means that family policies implemented until now should be put on the table and re-analyzed. The family needs to be strengthened. Most importantly, short, medium, and long-term studies should be conducted. Short-term studies should include rehabilitation and social work related to children currently involved in or driven to crime. This issue should be seriously supported with projects. This problem cannot be solved with advice or public relations efforts. It is necessary to approach it with projects, planned and concrete steps. The children's need to prove themselves and their susceptibility to social media influence in adolescence should be managed by creating positive alternatives. However, serious resources must be allocated for this. Existing resources are insufficient. The resources allocated to this area are no less important than the resources allocated to National Defense.”