The Üsküdar University Center for Applied Research on Globalization and Youth Issues (KÜGEMER), in collaboration with the Lawyers’ Association and the Lawyers’ Association Youth Commission, organized a panel titled “Children in the Judicial Process: Justice, Protection, and Responsibility.”
The panel, held at the Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall on the Üsküdar University Main Campus, was attended by Üsküdar University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, Rector’s Advisor and KÜGEMER Director Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış, Rector’s Advisor Halide İncekara, President of the Lawyers’ Association Attorney Mehmet Melih Gülseren, Chair of the Lawyers’ Association Youth Commission Attorney Mehmet Özcan, as well as academics, legal professionals, forensic scientists, and civil society representatives.
The panel discussed the individual and societal factors leading children into crime, criminal responsibility, judicial processes, victims’ rights, and protective measures. While attention was drawn to the balance between punishment and rehabilitation in the juvenile justice system, the importance of early intervention, family support, strengthening social services, and interagency cooperation was emphasized.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “We have encountered serious clinical cases among young people addicted to artificial intelligence”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Üsküdar University, who participated in the program via a video message as part of the opening remarks, noted that the changing digital world poses new dangers for children and drew particular attention to problems arising from the use of artificial intelligence.
Stating that behavioral addictions and digital risks among children must be closely monitored, Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “In this changing world, there are certain dangers awaiting children who have been drawn into the legal process. The situation we are seeing most frequently among children right now is addiction to artificial intelligence. “Digital addiction, like behavioral addiction and substance abuse, all involve a process of addiction. It is essential to understand how a person transforms a behavior into a habit and then into an addiction.”
“If there is problematic use, the child is now in a high-risk group”
Noting that the problematic use of digital technologies can affect children’s daily lives, Prof. Dr. Tarhan highlighted the importance of sleep patterns, physical activity, and the connection to reality.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “First, problematic use occurs in children. Problematic use disrupts sleep, leads to neglect of physical activity and sports, and, beyond that, causes behaviors in the child that disconnect them from reality. If there is problematic use, that child is now in the at-risk group.”
Noting that family attitudes play a decisive role in children’s development, Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “If parents’ screen exposure is excessive, the child’s screen exposure will also be excessive. For this reason, families must place great importance on their relationship with their child.”
“What matters is what is lost in life after screen exposure”
Emphasizing that screen use should not be evaluated solely based on duration, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “The amount of time a child spends in front of a screen is not important. What matters is what they lose in life after being exposed to screens. For example, is their academic performance affected, are their social relationships suffering, or are their daily activities disrupted? There are signs of addiction. Does the person experience withdrawal symptoms when they cannot access the screen or a prohibited substance? In such cases, we need to look at what has become the center of their life.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also noted that focusing solely on children’s academic achievements is not enough, saying, “Children may have good academic intelligence, but their social and emotional intelligence is also important. If we fail to nurture our children’s social and emotional brain regions, we may face serious losses in the future. “In this day and age, the duty of a mother, a father, and society is to raise a good person—one who possesses virtue and morality. Because in such a situation, it means the child has a mental and moral compass in their life. Thanks to this compass, the child becomes capable of self-management,” he said.
In the first session, moderated by Sümeyye Koman Atasoy, a member of the Board of Directors of the Lawyers’ Association, Prof. Dr. Mahmut Koca addressed the topic of “The Impact of Young Age on Criminal Liability” , while Assistant Professor Saliha Merve Kaya offered her insights on the topic under the title “Security Measures to Be Applied to Children Without Criminal Liability.” Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, Vice Rector of Üsküdar University, assessed the criminal dimensions of children being drawn into crime in her presentation titled “How Does a Child Become a Criminal? – The Criminal Dimensions of a Child Being Drawn into Crime.”
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy: “Identifying a child solely by the act they committed overlooks the possibility of change”
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, Vice Rector of Üsküdar University and Chair of the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), stated that it is incorrect to assess a child’s relationship with crime solely based on the act they have committed.
Prof. Dr. Atasoy highlighted the importance of the language used in the juvenile justice system and the approach taken toward children, stating, “The fact that a child faces a criminal charge does not mean that their entire identity can be defined as ‘guilty.’ Moreover, an allegation is not the same as a final conviction. From this perspective, I consider it significant that the new regulation changes the phrase ‘child drawn into crime’ in the Child Protection Law to ‘child in the judicial process.’ However, this change in wording must also be reflected in the way we listen to, assess, and intervene with the child. Because when we equate the child with the act in their case file, we may overlook the possibility of their change.”
“The victim’s access to justice is an indisputable responsibility”
Emphasizing that protecting the child and safeguarding the victim’s rights are not opposing approaches, Prof. Dr. Atasoy said, “On the other hand, trying to understand the child’s life does not mean downplaying the harm they have caused. The pain of the injured person is real. Protecting the victim, supporting them, and ensuring their access to justice is an indisputable responsibility. Our duty is to fulfill this responsibility while also preventing the same harm from occurring again,” he said.
“A social investigation report should not merely be a document in the file”
Emphasizing that social investigation reports in the juvenile justice system must reveal the child’s actual living conditions, Prof. Dr. Atasoy said, “If the social investigation report becomes merely a document required to be in the file, it cannot provide the expected benefit. The report should tell us where the child lives, but it shouldn’t stop there. It should also explain whether the child is safe there. It should state that the child is enrolled in school, but it should also investigate whether the child is actually attending school. It should indicate that the child lives with their family, but it should also assess how care, supervision, and protection are provided within that family,” he said.
Pointing out that the reports prepared must contain actionable solutions, Prof. Dr. Atasoy stated, “What support is needed, who will provide it, when will it begin, and who will monitor the outcome? Because protecting a child does not mean forgetting the person they have harmed. Assessing the child’s responsibility does not eliminate their need for protection. Justice is strengthened when we can bear both of these responsibilities together,” he said.
The program’s second session was moderated by Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış, Advisor to the Rector of Üsküdar University and Director of KÜGEMER. During the session, Judge Seda Yörük Avcıl and Public Prosecutor Zeynep Büşra Aksoy Yıldırım addressed the judicial process for children in their presentations titled “The Judicial Process for Children.” Halide İncekara, Advisor to the Rector of Üsküdar University and former Chair of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Research Committees, shared her views on approaches to children in judicial proceedings and her assessments regarding necessary improvements to the process in her presentation titled “How Should We Approach Children in the Judicial Process? – Necessary Improvements to the Process,” in which she shared her views on approaches to children in judicial proceedings and her assessments regarding improvements to the process.
Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış: “Harsher penalties could push the juvenile justice system toward a punitive approach”
Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış, Advisor to the Rector of Üsküdar University and Director of KÜGEMER, emphasized that the fundamental approach of the juvenile justice system should be rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Drawing attention to international children’s rights regulations, Prof. Dr. Barış stated:
“From the perspective of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Beijing Rules, it has been strongly emphasized that the primary purpose of the juvenile justice system should not be punishment, but rather rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Although the imposition of harsher penalties is often justified on the grounds of deterrence, it also carries the risk of the juvenile justice system veering toward a punitive approach.”
“Measures cannot succeed without strengthening the social services infrastructure”
Noting that the new regulations introduce diversionary measures for children not subject to criminal liability—such as protection from digital risks, access to books and libraries, environmental cleanup, and substance abuse prevention—Barış stated: “This demonstrates that protecting children from digital and environmental risks at an early age is pedagogically sound. The fact that parental neglect is subject to criminal penalties is, from a preventive law perspective, the right decision, and I am satisfied that this is the correct regulation. However, for these measures to be successful, the social services infrastructure must absolutely be strengthened,” he said.
Barış also pointed out the risks that could arise from children coming into contact with closed correctional facilities at an early age, stating, “Regarding the correctional regime and physical segregation, we are concerned that children’s early exposure to closed correctional facilities poses the risk of them being exposed to adult criminal culture. “On the other hand, the segregation of children based on their age and the nature of their offenses is a positive development, at least in terms of preventing peer bullying. Ultimately, the principle of the best interests of the child must serve as the guiding principle at every stage of the new regulations,” he said.
Halide İncekara: “We Should Discuss the Causes, Not the Consequences, of Children’s Situations”
Halide İncekara, Advisor to the Rector at Üsküdar University, noted that the conditions children face are often overlooked, and said the following:
“My philosophy of life is based not on eliminating the consequences, but on eliminating the causes. Every child who comes before you is a consequence. We constantly speak of conscience, compassion, and justice regarding this consequence, but when we discuss the causes, they still place the child in your lap and tell you to raise them—and on top of that, integrate them into society—effectively assigning you an additional duty. No one has the right to do such a thing.”
Noting that she has fought for many years to protect children’s rights, İncekara said, “Politics doesn’t care much about children. After all, they don’t vote. Standing against the child are an organized mass, the judiciary, educators, parents—and a disorganized childhood. “I fought hard until the ‘best interests of the child’ clause was included in the Constitution. I fought to be able to act in the best interests of the child, and I succeeded in having it included in the Constitution,” she said.
“Preventive measures must be taken before a child appears before the courts”
Highlighting the importance of early intervention and interagency coordination in child protection, İncekara said, “I will strive to protect the child, but I must also be concerned with protecting the rights of the victim. I must be concerned with soothing the public conscience. The Ministry of Health has access to all of a child’s records from the moment of birth and, because it administers vaccinations and checkups, has the opportunity to enter every family’s home. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor whether the child is experiencing violence or abuse within the family up to a certain age—whether there are any signs of this—and to take preventive measures,” he said.
Noting that a punishment-only approach is insufficient in criminal justice, İncekara stated, “In such cases, simultaneous support, education, and rehabilitation can be provided to both the family and the child. We need to think not only about punishing the child but also about making amends for what happened and helping the child get back on track.”
Attorney Mehmet Özcan: “The approach to children in the judicial process is related to how future legal professionals are trained”
Speaking at the panel’s opening, Attorney Mehmet Özcan, Chair of the Lawyers’ Association Youth Commission, emphasized the importance of the educational process for legal professionals who will serve in the juvenile justice system.
Özcan said, “For us, the Youth Commission is more than just an organization connecting cities and law schools—it is a home, a family. Young people from different cities and law schools come here to support one another, learn together, create, and grow.”
Emphasizing the importance of raising awareness among young legal professionals regarding children’s rights, Özcan said, “It is a great achievement for us that young people—who will become tomorrow’s judges, prosecutors, attorneys, and academics—discuss such a sensitive issue as children’s rights alongside practicing professionals and our expert faculty members in the field. How children will be approached in the judicial process tomorrow is directly related to how the young people who will be part of that process are being trained today.”
Mehmet Melih Gülseren, President of the Lawyers’ Association, also thanked those who contributed to organizing the panel and Üsküdar University for hosting the event. Emphasizing the importance of initiatives targeting young people, Gülseren recalled the projects they had carried out for youth in the past and highlighted the value of solidarity in this field.
After the participants’ questions were answered, gifts were presented. The program concluded with a group photo.
