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Juvenile Delinquency and Victimization in Cyprus

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Abstract

Criminological and criminal justice research is a relatively new academic discipline in Cyprus. The current paper first examines and critiques official data on juvenile delinquency in Cyprus. As expected, the findings on delinquency and victimization gathered from self-reported surveys suggest higher rates of delinquency than those based on official statistics. This paper is based for a large part on data obtained from the International Self-reported Delinquency Study (ISRD-2), a national survey of 2385 Cypriot 12–16 year old pupils concerning a number of delinquency risk and protective factors. Those results were compared to the data collected as part of the ISRD-2 in five European Union (EU) member states, which – like Cyprus - joined the EU in 2004. This comparison focuses on data in the capitals of the six countries concerned. Research and delinquency prevention implications are discussed.

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Notes

  1. http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/census-2011_cystat_en/census-2011_cystat_en?OpenDocument

  2. The UNDP National Human Development Reports for Cyprus 2011 is available at: http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/CYP.html

  3. This involves gunpowder used in home-made mini bomb firecrackers that are set off by young people during the week leading up to Easter ‘for fun’.

  4. Peristianis, N., Michaelidou, S., & Makrides, G. (1995). A juvenile delinquency survey in Cyprus. Nicosia: Intercollege Research and Development Centre [In Greek].

  5. Being over 17 years of age is defined as an adult in Cyprus.

  6. Papadopoulos, M., Yiallourides, G., Theodorou, M., Georgiou, M., Konstantinou, M., & Stavrou, A. (2000). A Cyprus-wide self-reported juvenile delinquency survey among junior- and senior- secondary school pupils. Cyprus, Nicosia: Ministry of Education and Culture. [In Greek], unpublished.

  7. Kokkinos, M. K., & Panayiotou, G. (2002). Disturbed behaviour, bullying experience and victimization among juveniles. In M. K. Kokkinos (Ed.), Aggression: proceedings of the 4th Cyprus psychology conference. Nicosia, Cyprus: Cyprus Psychologists’ Association [In Greek].

  8. Papadopoulos, M., & Konstantinopoulos, K. (2005). Use of legal and illicit addictive substances by senior secondary school students. Nicosia: Ministry of Education and Culture [In Greek].

  9. Papavasiliou, X. V., Andreou-Filimi, A., Dimitriou, D., Mavrikiou,P & Konstantopoulos, A. (2006). Juvenile delinquency trends in early and middle adolescence by school pupils in Cyprus. Paper presented at the 18th Panhellenic Conference, Child, Health and Culture, Greek Association of Social Pediatrics and Health Promotion, Crete, Greece [In Greek].

  10. Which includes, for example, parents not knowing where their children are and who they are with when the go out.

  11. The study was part of a European project into youth-risk assessment (see Kapardis and Poyiadjis (2012)

  12. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/frd030127.pdf but see also https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/frd030127.pdf for 2005 review of risk and protective factors for the Youth Board of England and Wales

  13. i.e., listed by the Ministry of Education as an ‘educational priority school’.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Law, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Andreas Kapardis

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  1. Andreas Kapardis
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Correspondence to Andreas Kapardis.

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This paper is about juvenile delinquency and victimization in Cyprus. However as a preliminary statement I want to stress that this paper would not have been possible in its current form without the formative role played by Josine Junger-Tas and her leadership in the International Self-Report Delinquency Study (ISRD). When the ISRD-2 was in its embryonic stage and a group of us were discussing how to go about it in Amsterdam it was clear it would be a real challenge not only methodologically but also because such a large number of diverse participants had to quickly work as a cohesive group. Josine was the catalyst that made it all possible. A seasoned and distinguished criminologist on the international stage she had everybody’s respect from the outset. A prolific criminologist a polyglot and a polymath inspirational she infused us with enthusiasm about the project and dealt with any disagreements in a very constructive way. A very caring social scientist and a committed reformer who led her team by example. In a nutshell a very charismatic person and scholar I am grateful I had the opportunity to work with.

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Kapardis, A. Juvenile Delinquency and Victimization in Cyprus. Eur J Crim Policy Res 19, 171–182 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-013-9201-y

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