Family criminal history and poverty are the most decisive factors driving children into crime, experts briefing a parliamentary commission have underscored, warning that punitive measures alone are insufficient to address the problem.
The Parliamentary Research Commission on Children Drawn into Crime, established under the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM), convened its first session.
During the meetings, academics presented striking data on the biological, psychological and social dynamics that increase children’s vulnerability to criminal behavior.
Zeki Karataş of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University argued that increasing criminal penalties has a limited impact on prevention, stressing the need to strengthen social services, education and public health systems.
“The common denominator of social problems in Türkiye is poverty,” Karataş told lawmakers. He warned that malnutrition linked to poverty can cause an irreversible loss of up to 30 IQ points in children, significantly impairing cognitive development.
According to Karataş, children with a first-degree relative who has committed a crime are 26 times more likely to be drawn into criminal activity.
“Every child of an individual who enters prison must be systematically monitored,” he said, adding that single-parent family structures often intensify existing risk factors.
Betül Ulukol of Ankara University approached the issue through a “biopsychosocial model,” which highlighted the interaction between genetics, brain development and environmental conditions.
Beyond impulsivity and difficulties in emotional regulation, Ulukol emphasized the role of social normalization of violence.
“When violence is validated in a child’s environment and those who resort to it are applauded, that becomes one of the strongest social drivers pushing children toward crime,” she said.
The commission is expected to continue its work in the coming weeks, using the academic findings to formulate a comprehensive roadmap aimed at prevention, early intervention and long-term social support.
