Study results on some causes and types of juvenile delinquency

Abstract

Background: In Mongolia, identifying the factors and circumstances associated with children and adolescents’ involvement in crime may provide an important evidence base for the early identification of risk factors and the development of effective preventive interventions. In 2021, juveniles accounted for 20.7% (n=218) of the 1,053 civil and criminal forensic psychiatric evaluations conducted at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) in Mongolia. However, empirical data regarding the context and risk factors associated with juvenile involvement in the justice system are limited, necessitating this investigation. Aim: To investigate some factors associated with criminal involvement and victimization among children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using the records of 725 forensic psychiatric evaluation records of children and adolescents assessed at the NCMH between 2020 and 2022. Data were collected using a researcherdeveloped structured data collection form consisting of six domains and 84 variables. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA, with statistical significance established at p < 0.05. Results: Among the 725 cases included in the study, 197 (27.1%) involved children and adolescents who had committed criminal offenses, while 528 (72.9%) involved child victims of sexual violence. The reason for forensic psychiatric evaluation differed significantly by sex: girls were more frequently evaluated as victims of sexual violence, whereas boys were more frequently evaluated in connection with having committed a criminal offense (p<0.001). The mean age of children who had committed criminal offenses was 16.4±1.6 years, compared with 12.6±3.6 years among victims of crime. Significant differences were observed between these groups with regard to sex (p=0.001) and age (p=0.001). Conclusions: 1. Of the 725 participants, 197 children and adolescents (27.1%) were subjected to forensic psychiatric assessment to evaluate their psychological state at the time of committing a crime, while 528 (72.9%) were assessed to determine their capacity to provide true and accurate testimony as victims. 2. Among the 197 crime cases committed, 45.7% involved sexual violence, 27.4% were drug-related offenses, and 13.2% were crimes against the health of others. Males accounted for 94.4% of all crime-committed cases.