Evaluation of children referred to the forensic assessment board of the Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic for allegedly being involved in criminal acts between 2005-2022

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the sociodemographic, familial, and clinical characteristics of children who were referred to the forensic assessment board by court order for alleged criminal behavior, to examine the relationship between these characteristics and the types of crimes committed, and to raise awareness about potential risk factors. ​Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study. The forensic evaluation files of a total of 300 children, aged between 12 and 17 years, who were referred to the Forensic Assessment Board of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department at Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine between 2005 and 2022, were retrospectively reviewed. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 software; Chi-square and Mann Whitney U tests were used for statistical comparisons. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. ​Results: Of the 300 cases included in the study, 90.3% were male and 9.7% were female. The mean age at the time of referral was 14.7±1.8, while the mean age at the time of the incident was 13.46±1.06. At the time of the incident, 96% of the children were in the 12-15 age group. The education dropout rate was 36.7%, higher among males and those aged over 15. A total of 42% came from broken families, and 40% had four or more siblings. It was found that 30.3% of mothers and 11.3% of fathers had never received formal education. Psychiatric diagnoses were identified in 31% of the cases, with the most common being intellectual disability and disruptive behavior disorders. Of the crimes, 41% were sexual offenses, 34.3% were theft/robbery, and 13% were homicide/assault; 54.3% were committed as part of a group. In forensic evaluations, 42.1% of the children were found to lack the ability to comprehend the legal meaning and consequences of the act and to direct their behavior accordingly. ​Conclusion: The findings reveal that the majority of children involved in criminal behavior were male and under the age of 15, and a significant portion had dropped out of school early, growing up in broken families under poor socioeconomic conditions. Additionally, many had psychiatric disorders and cognitive impairments. These results highlight the need for treatment, psychosocial support, and rehabilitation-focused intervention programs rather than punitive measures. A coordinated and holistic approach involving families, the education system, and social services is essential to prevent juvenile delinquency. Keywords: Juvenile delinquency, sociodemographic characteristics, adolescence, psychiatric diagnosis, cognitive impairment