A parliamentary commission on June 24 completed a draft report on juvenile delinquency, putting forward a wide range of recommendations, from changing legal terminology to increasing prison sentences for minors convicted of serious crimes.
The research commission on “children driven into crime” was established following intense public debate over the surging crime rates among minors under 18 in Türkiye.
In a country recently shaken by the murder of a 15-year-old by his peers and a tragic school shooting, certain segments of society are demanding harsher legal penalties for minors who commit violent crimes.
The media on June 24 reported that the commission has now completed its draft report, which spans 691 pages and contains recommendations under 34 main headings.
Among the most notable proposals is replacing the term “children driven to crime” with the phrase “children involved in judicial proceedings.”
The report also recommended that sentence reductions currently applied to minors in cases of intentional homicide and aggravated assault be left to the discretion of judges for offenders aged 12–15 and 15–18.
In addition, the commission proposes raising the maximum prison terms for crimes punishable by aggravated life imprisonment. For offenders aged 12–15, the upper limit would increase from 15 years to 18 years, while for those aged 15–18 it would rise from 24 years to 27 years.
Another proposal would require all convicted juvenile offenders, regardless of the nature of their crimes, to be initially placed in closed correctional facilities before any further assessment or transfer.
The report also included recommendations related to education.
These included making psychosocial screening programs mandatory in schools, as well as installing surveillance camera systems throughout school premises, with the exception of private areas, in order to eliminate blind spots.
