PHENOMENOLOGY OF JUVENILE CRIME IN CROATIA
Keywords:
juvenile crime, scope, structure and dynamics, models of juvenile justice, CroatiaAbstract
Purpose
The aims of this research are to provide an overview of the relevant body of literature into an area of the juvenile offenders and to analyse the scope, structure and dynamics of juvenile delinquency in the past decade (2011-2021) in the Republic of Croatia.
Design/Methods/Approach
Empirical analysis is based on secondary data from registered crimes of the police, state attorney's offices and juvenile courts in the observed period, which is an indirect measure of juvenile delinquency in a particular area (Palmer, 2020). Juvenile offenders are analysed in relation to gender, age, educational attainment, types of crimes committed, and other relevant variables in order to identify trends and crime patterns across spanning decade.
Findings
The paper discusses the continuous downward trend of reported, accused, and convicted juveniles, but also the relatively large number of dismissed criminal charges by applying the principle of opportunity as a rehabilitation approach of the State Attorney's Office to juvenile offenders. Although conditional opportunity as a measure of diversion relieves the courts and shortens the time from the commission of a crime to the beginning of treatment, the simultaneous increase in the number of juvenile recidivists is worrying, indicating that the current system of juvenile sanctions does not fulfill its primary purpose of special prevention.
Originality/Value
The research paper builds on the existing knowledge of the topic and addresses possible implications of future developments within the mixed model of the juvenile justice system that is lacking in the existing literature.
References
Croatian Central Bureau of Statistics (2021). Annual Statistical Reports of the Juvenile Offenders - reports, charges and convictions from 2010 to 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.dzs.hr/ (10 May 2022)
Cajner Mraović, I., Kešetović, Ž., Butorac, K. (2014). Wartime and postwar trends in juvenile crime: the Croatian and the Serbian perspective. International Scientific Conference Proceedings “Macedonia and the Balkans, a Hundred Years After the World War I – Security and Euro-Atlantic Integrations”, Volume I, 306-318. Ohrid, 3.-5.06.2014., North Macedonia.
Derk, D., & Stašević, I. (2017). Usporedba nekih trendova maloljetničke delinkvencije u Hrvatskoj tijekom rata i nakon rata. Policija i sigurnost, 26(2), 168-181.
Doležal, D. (2009). Kriminalna karijera. Zbornik Pravnog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci, 30(2), 1082-1107.
Enzmann, D., & Podana, Z. (2010). Official crime statistics and survey data: Comparing trends of youth violence between 2000–2006 in cities of Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Russia, and Slovenia. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 16(3), 191–205.
Farrington, D. P. (2003). Developmental and life-course criminology: key theoretical and empirical issues-the 2002 Sutherland award address. Criminology 41(2), 221-255.
Hawkins, J. D., Herrenkohl, T., Farrington, D. P., Brewer, D., Catalano, R. F., & Harachi, T. W. (1998). A review of predictors of youth violence. In R. Loeber & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Serious & violent juvenile offenders: Risk factors and successful interventions (pp. 106–146). Washington, D.C.: Sage Publications, Inc.
Huizinga, D., & Jacob-Chien, C. (1998). The contemporaneous co-occurrence of serious and violent juvenile offending and other problem behaviors. In R. Loeber & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Serious and violent juvenile offenders: Risk factors and successful interventions (pp. 47-67). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Juvenile Courts Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia, 84/11, 143/12, 148/13, 56/15, 126/19).
Kelley, B. T., Loeber, R., Keenan, K. & DeLamatre, M., (1997). Developmental Pathways in Boys Disruptive and Delinquent Behavior. US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Washington, D.C.
Kovčo Vukadin, I. (2009). Kriminalitet mlađih punoljetnih osoba u Hrvatskoj: Struktura i trendovi. Hrvatski ljetopis za kazneno pravo i praksu, 16(1), 27-40.
Loeber, R., & Stouthamer – Loeber, M. (1996). The Development of Offending. Criminal Justice and Behaviour, 23(12), 12 – 24.
Loeber, R. (1990). Development and risk factors of juvenile antisocial behavior and delinquency. Clinical Pychology Review, 10(1), 1-41.
Maguin, E. , & R. Loeber. (1996). Academic Performance and Delinquency. Crime and Justice: A Review of Research, 20, 145-264, edited by M. Tonry. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Martinjak, D., & Odeljan, R. (2016). Etiološki i fenomenološki čimbenici maloljetničke delinkvencije. Zagreb. Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova Republike Hrvatske.
Moffitt, T.E. (1993). Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100, 674–701.
Ollendick, T. H. (1979). Discrepancies between verbal and performance IQs and subtest scatter on the WISC-R for juvenile delinquents. Psychopatologycal Reports, 45 (2), 563‐568.
Pardini, D. A., Waller, R., & Hawes, S. W. (2015). Familial influences on the development of serious conduct problems and delinquency. In J. Morizot & L. Kazemian (Eds.), The development of criminal and antisocial behavior: Theory, research and practical applications (pp. 201–220). U.S.: Springer International Publishing AG.
Radić, I. (2017). Hrvatski sustav maloljetničkih sankcija: trenutačno stanje i prijedlozi za promjenu. Hrvatski ljetopis za kaznene znanosti i praksu, 24(1), 83-115.
Ricijaš, N. (2009). Pripisivanje uzročnosti vlastitog delinkventnog ponašanja mladih. Doktorska disertacija. Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Pravni fakultet, Studijski centar socijalnog rada, Poslijediplomski znanstveni studij iz teorije i metodologije socijalnog rada, Zagreb.
Sampson, R. J., & Laub, J. H. (2004). A general age-graded theory of crime: lessons learned and the future of life-course criminology. Advances in Criminological Theory, 13, 1-28.
Sijerčić-Čolić, H. (2012). Juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice in transition. In A. Šelih, & A. Završnik (Eds.), Crime and transition in Central and Eastern Europe (pp. 229–249). New York: Springer.
Steketee, M. & Gruszczyńska, B. (2010). Juvenile delinquency in six new EU member states. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 16(2), 111-125.
Croatian Central Bureau of Statistics (2021). Annual Statistical Reports of the Juvenile Offenders - reports, charges and convictions from 2010 to 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.dzs.hr/ (10 May 2022)
Cajner Mraović, I., Kešetović, Ž., Butorac, K. (2014). Wartime and postwar trends in juvenile crime: the Croatian and the Serbian perspective. International Scientific Conference Proceedings “Macedonia and the Balkans, a Hundred Years After the World War I – Security and Euro-Atlantic Integrations”, Volume I, 306-318. Ohrid, 3.-5.06.2014., North Macedonia.
Derk, D., & Stašević, I. (2017). Usporedba nekih trendova maloljetničke delinkvencije u Hrvatskoj tijekom rata i nakon rata. Policija i sigurnost, 26(2), 168-181.
Doležal, D. (2009). Kriminalna karijera. Zbornik Pravnog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci, 30(2), 1082-1107.
Enzmann, D., & Podana, Z. (2010). Official crime statistics and survey data: Comparing trends of youth violence between 2000–2006 in cities of Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Russia, and Slovenia. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 16(3), 191–205.
Farrington, D. P. (2003). Developmental and life-course criminology: key theoretical and empirical issues-the 2002 Sutherland award address. Criminology 41(2), 221-255.
Hawkins, J. D., Herrenkohl, T., Farrington, D. P., Brewer, D., Catalano, R. F., & Harachi, T. W. (1998). A review of predictors of youth violence. In R. Loeber & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Serious & violent juvenile offenders: Risk factors and successful interventions (pp. 106–146). Washington, D.C.: Sage Publications, Inc.
Huizinga, D., & Jacob-Chien, C. (1998). The contemporaneous co-occurrence of serious and violent juvenile offending and other problem behaviors. In R. Loeber & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Serious and violent juvenile offenders: Risk factors and successful interventions (pp. 47-67). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Juvenile Courts Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia, 84/11, 143/12, 148/13, 56/15, 126/19).
Kelley, B. T., Loeber, R., Keenan, K. & DeLamatre, M., (1997). Developmental Pathways in Boys Disruptive and Delinquent Behavior. US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Washington, D.C.
Kovčo Vukadin, I. (2009). Kriminalitet mlađih punoljetnih osoba u Hrvatskoj: Struktura i trendovi. Hrvatski ljetopis za kazneno pravo i praksu, 16(1), 27-40.
Loeber, R., & Stouthamer – Loeber, M. (1996). The Development of Offending. Criminal Justice and Behaviour, 23(12), 12 – 24.
Loeber, R. (1990). Development and risk factors of juvenile antisocial behavior and delinquency. Clinical Pychology Review, 10(1), 1-41.
Maguin, E. , & R. Loeber. (1996). Academic Performance and Delinquency. Crime and Justice: A Review of Research, 20, 145-264, edited by M. Tonry. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Martinjak, D., & Odeljan, R. (2016). Etiološki i fenomenološki čimbenici maloljetničke delinkvencije. Zagreb. Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova Republike Hrvatske.
Moffitt, T.E. (1993). Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100, 674–701.
Ollendick, T. H. (1979). Discrepancies between verbal and performance IQs and subtest scatter on the WISC-R for juvenile delinquents. Psychopatologycal Reports, 45 (2), 563‐568.
Pardini, D. A., Waller, R., & Hawes, S. W. (2015). Familial influences on the development of serious conduct problems and delinquency. In J. Morizot & L. Kazemian (Eds.), The development of criminal and antisocial behavior: Theory, research and practical applications (pp. 201–220). U.S.: Springer International Publishing AG.
Radić, I. (2017). Hrvatski sustav maloljetničkih sankcija: trenutačno stanje i prijedlozi za promjenu. Hrvatski ljetopis za kaznene znanosti i praksu, 24(1), 83-115.
Ricijaš, N. (2009). Pripisivanje uzročnosti vlastitog delinkventnog ponašanja mladih. Doktorska disertacija. Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Pravni fakultet, Studijski centar socijalnog rada, Poslijediplomski znanstveni studij iz teorije i metodologije socijalnog rada, Zagreb.
Sampson, R. J., & Laub, J. H. (2004). A general age-graded theory of crime: lessons learned and the future of life-course criminology. Advances in Criminological Theory, 13, 1-28.
Sijerčić-Čolić, H. (2012). Juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice in transition. In A. Šelih, & A. Završnik (Eds.), Crime and transition in Central and Eastern Europe (pp. 229–249). New York: Springer.
Steketee, M. & Gruszczyńska, B. (2010). Juvenile delinquency in six new EU member states. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 16(2), 111-125.
Cajner Mraović, I., Kešetović, Ž., Butorac, K. (2014). Wartime and postwar trends in juvenile crime: the Croatian and the Serbian perspective. International Scientific Conference Proceedings “Macedonia and the Balkans, a Hundred Years After the World War I – Security and Euro-Atlantic Integrations”, Volume I, 306-318. Ohrid, 3.-5.06.2014., North Macedonia.
Derk, D., & Stašević, I. (2017). Usporedba nekih trendova maloljetničke delinkvencije u Hrvatskoj tijekom rata i nakon rata. Policija i sigurnost, 26(2), 168-181.
Doležal, D. (2009). Kriminalna karijera. Zbornik Pravnog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci, 30(2), 1082-1107.
Enzmann, D., & Podana, Z. (2010). Official crime statistics and survey data: Comparing trends of youth violence between 2000–2006 in cities of Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Russia, and Slovenia. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 16(3), 191–205.
Farrington, D. P. (2003). Developmental and life-course criminology: key theoretical and empirical issues-the 2002 Sutherland award address. Criminology 41(2), 221-255.
Hawkins, J. D., Herrenkohl, T., Farrington, D. P., Brewer, D., Catalano, R. F., & Harachi, T. W. (1998). A review of predictors of youth violence. In R. Loeber & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Serious & violent juvenile offenders: Risk factors and successful interventions (pp. 106–146). Washington, D.C.: Sage Publications, Inc.
Huizinga, D., & Jacob-Chien, C. (1998). The contemporaneous co-occurrence of serious and violent juvenile offending and other problem behaviors. In R. Loeber & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Serious and violent juvenile offenders: Risk factors and successful interventions (pp. 47-67). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Juvenile Courts Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia, 84/11, 143/12, 148/13, 56/15, 126/19).
Kelley, B. T., Loeber, R., Keenan, K. & DeLamatre, M., (1997). Developmental Pathways in Boys Disruptive and Delinquent Behavior. US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Washington, D.C.
Kovčo Vukadin, I. (2009). Kriminalitet mlađih punoljetnih osoba u Hrvatskoj: Struktura i trendovi. Hrvatski ljetopis za kazneno pravo i praksu, 16(1), 27-40.
Loeber, R., & Stouthamer – Loeber, M. (1996). The Development of Offending. Criminal Justice and Behaviour, 23(12), 12 – 24.
Loeber, R. (1990). Development and risk factors of juvenile antisocial behavior and delinquency. Clinical Pychology Review, 10(1), 1-41.
Maguin, E. , & R. Loeber. (1996). Academic Performance and Delinquency. Crime and Justice: A Review of Research, 20, 145-264, edited by M. Tonry. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Martinjak, D., & Odeljan, R. (2016). Etiološki i fenomenološki čimbenici maloljetničke delinkvencije. Zagreb. Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova Republike Hrvatske.
Moffitt, T.E. (1993). Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100, 674–701.
Ollendick, T. H. (1979). Discrepancies between verbal and performance IQs and subtest scatter on the WISC-R for juvenile delinquents. Psychopatologycal Reports, 45 (2), 563‐568.
Pardini, D. A., Waller, R., & Hawes, S. W. (2015). Familial influences on the development of serious conduct problems and delinquency. In J. Morizot & L. Kazemian (Eds.), The development of criminal and antisocial behavior: Theory, research and practical applications (pp. 201–220). U.S.: Springer International Publishing AG.
Radić, I. (2017). Hrvatski sustav maloljetničkih sankcija: trenutačno stanje i prijedlozi za promjenu. Hrvatski ljetopis za kaznene znanosti i praksu, 24(1), 83-115.
Ricijaš, N. (2009). Pripisivanje uzročnosti vlastitog delinkventnog ponašanja mladih. Doktorska disertacija. Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Pravni fakultet, Studijski centar socijalnog rada, Poslijediplomski znanstveni studij iz teorije i metodologije socijalnog rada, Zagreb.
Sampson, R. J., & Laub, J. H. (2004). A general age-graded theory of crime: lessons learned and the future of life-course criminology. Advances in Criminological Theory, 13, 1-28.
Sijerčić-Čolić, H. (2012). Juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice in transition. In A. Šelih, & A. Završnik (Eds.), Crime and transition in Central and Eastern Europe (pp. 229–249). New York: Springer.
Steketee, M. & Gruszczyńska, B. (2010). Juvenile delinquency in six new EU member states. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 16(2), 111-125.
Croatian Central Bureau of Statistics (2021). Annual Statistical Reports of the Juvenile Offenders - reports, charges and convictions from 2010 to 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.dzs.hr/ (10 May 2022)
Cajner Mraović, I., Kešetović, Ž., Butorac, K. (2014). Wartime and postwar trends in juvenile crime: the Croatian and the Serbian perspective. International Scientific Conference Proceedings “Macedonia and the Balkans, a Hundred Years After the World War I – Security and Euro-Atlantic Integrations”, Volume I, 306-318. Ohrid, 3.-5.06.2014., North Macedonia.
Derk, D., & Stašević, I. (2017). Usporedba nekih trendova maloljetničke delinkvencije u Hrvatskoj tijekom rata i nakon rata. Policija i sigurnost, 26(2), 168-181.
Doležal, D. (2009). Kriminalna karijera. Zbornik Pravnog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci, 30(2), 1082-1107.
Enzmann, D., & Podana, Z. (2010). Official crime statistics and survey data: Comparing trends of youth violence between 2000–2006 in cities of Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Russia, and Slovenia. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 16(3), 191–205.
Farrington, D. P. (2003). Developmental and life-course criminology: key theoretical and empirical issues-the 2002 Sutherland award address. Criminology 41(2), 221-255.
Hawkins, J. D., Herrenkohl, T., Farrington, D. P., Brewer, D., Catalano, R. F., & Harachi, T. W. (1998). A review of predictors of youth violence. In R. Loeber & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Serious & violent juvenile offenders: Risk factors and successful interventions (pp. 106–146). Washington, D.C.: Sage Publications, Inc.
Huizinga, D., & Jacob-Chien, C. (1998). The contemporaneous co-occurrence of serious and violent juvenile offending and other problem behaviors. In R. Loeber & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Serious and violent juvenile offenders: Risk factors and successful interventions (pp. 47-67). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Juvenile Courts Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia, 84/11, 143/12, 148/13, 56/15, 126/19).
Kelley, B. T., Loeber, R., Keenan, K. & DeLamatre, M., (1997). Developmental Pathways in Boys Disruptive and Delinquent Behavior. US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Washington, D.C.
Kovčo Vukadin, I. (2009). Kriminalitet mlađih punoljetnih osoba u Hrvatskoj: Struktura i trendovi. Hrvatski ljetopis za kazneno pravo i praksu, 16(1), 27-40.
Loeber, R., & Stouthamer – Loeber, M. (1996). The Development of Offending. Criminal Justice and Behaviour, 23(12), 12 – 24.
Loeber, R. (1990). Development and risk factors of juvenile antisocial behavior and delinquency. Clinical Pychology Review, 10(1), 1-41.
Maguin, E. , & R. Loeber. (1996). Academic Performance and Delinquency. Crime and Justice: A Review of Research, 20, 145-264, edited by M. Tonry. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Martinjak, D., & Odeljan, R. (2016). Etiološki i fenomenološki čimbenici maloljetničke delinkvencije. Zagreb. Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova Republike Hrvatske.
Moffitt, T.E. (1993). Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100, 674–701.
Ollendick, T. H. (1979). Discrepancies between verbal and performance IQs and subtest scatter on the WISC-R for juvenile delinquents. Psychopatologycal Reports, 45 (2), 563‐568.
Pardini, D. A., Waller, R., & Hawes, S. W. (2015). Familial influences on the development of serious conduct problems and delinquency. In J. Morizot & L. Kazemian (Eds.), The development of criminal and antisocial behavior: Theory, research and practical applications (pp. 201–220). U.S.: Springer International Publishing AG.
Radić, I. (2017). Hrvatski sustav maloljetničkih sankcija: trenutačno stanje i prijedlozi za promjenu. Hrvatski ljetopis za kaznene znanosti i praksu, 24(1), 83-115.
Ricijaš, N. (2009). Pripisivanje uzročnosti vlastitog delinkventnog ponašanja mladih. Doktorska disertacija. Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Pravni fakultet, Studijski centar socijalnog rada, Poslijediplomski znanstveni studij iz teorije i metodologije socijalnog rada, Zagreb.
Sampson, R. J., & Laub, J. H. (2004). A general age-graded theory of crime: lessons learned and the future of life-course criminology. Advances in Criminological Theory, 13, 1-28.
Sijerčić-Čolić, H. (2012). Juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice in transition. In A. Šelih, & A. Završnik (Eds.), Crime and transition in Central and Eastern Europe (pp. 229–249). New York: Springer.
Steketee, M. & Gruszczyńska, B. (2010). Juvenile delinquency in six new EU member states. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 16(2), 111-125.
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Published
2023-04-04
Issue
Section
Etiology, Phenomenology and Trends of Contemporary Crime
