Filenews 5 April 2025 - by Michalis Hadjivasilis
The numbers of juvenile offenders involved in cases investigated by the Police are shocking, which shows the increase in juvenile delinquency in its various manifestations.
Last year, 761 minors (under the age of 18) were involved in 497 cases, of which 299 were serious, concerning offences punishable primarily by imprisonment. The problem of juvenile delinquency is primarily social and despite the increasing cases that have occurred in recent years, great emphasis is placed on repression instead of prevention. Many are those who wonder what it is that recently led 200 young people in Limassol to cause massive disruption, defying the citizens and the Police.
At the same time, we have not yet recovered from the surprise caused by the revelation that two minors created images with pornographic material through artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The faces of minors were placed in the photographs, which were edited through AI, with obscene contours. At the same time, every week young people will get involved in episodes of violence in the stadiums, create vendettas for the lampratzias, now solve their differences in public with sticks and clubs, attack delivery workers, arrest with drugs, ignoring the consequences.
All this composes an ominous picture, unknown where it will lead, while the number of cases involving minors involving the use of the internet is now increasing. According to data from the Police Statistics and Mapping Department, in 2024 almost 500 cases involving children were investigated. Most of them were in the Nicosia district and related to property offences. It could be a theft, burglary, or malicious damage to a vehicle, house, or other property. The worst thing is that children under the age of 14 were involved in 46 cases last year. It is noted that the de-trial procedures apply to everyone, i.e. the out-of-court settlement mechanism is activated, unless they are very serious cases where they are taken to the Courts.
In 2023, 404 cases involving 598 minors were investigated. Of these cases, 240 concerned serious offences involving 314 boys and 34 girls, and 164 involved minor offences involving 232 boys and 18 girls. Total boys 546 and 52 girls. Of the 598 minors, 34 were up to 14 years old, 208 between 14-15 and 356 were 16-17 years old.
Against property
According to the Police data, the first serious offense in which minors were involved for 2024 was the one against property, with 129 cases and 236 young people involved, followed by drug-related offenses with 52 cases and the involvement of 55 minors. Then come the offences related to technology, i.e. the internet, such as extortion, bullying and sexual offences. Last year, 28 such cases were investigated with 35 minors involved. The fourth crime in a row concerns attempts and conspiracies to commit crimes with 20 minors related to eight cases.
As far as minor offenses are concerned, it seems that minors follow those involved in serious offenses, since the first one concerns property offenses with 121 minors involved in 84 cases. This is followed by offences against persons with 45 cases and 73 young people involved, and third offences against common peace with 22 cases and 44 involved. The same picture applies to the years 2023 and 2022 with the numbers differing slightly.
In Nicosia, most cases
As for the provinces in which the offences were committed by minors, these differ according to how serious the offence was. If it concerned serious cases, the ranking according to the cases is Nicosia first, followed by Famagusta and Paphos, while for minor violations, the first district is Famagusta, followed by Larnaca and Limassol. The fact that Famagusta is located high is due to the accumulation of tourism during the summer months in the free area of Famagusta.
More specifically, according to Police data, in 2024 the 299 serious cases involving minors were distributed as follows: In Nicosia, 78 to 114 minors were examined, in Limassol 56 cases with 72 minors, in Larnaca 39 cases with 53 minors, in Paphos 57 cases with 83 minors, in Famagusta 63 cases with 131 persons and in Morphou six cases with six persons.
In 2023, Nicosia was again the first in criminal cases with 74 and 113 young people involved, in Limassol 54 cases with the involvement of 78 minors were examined, in Larnaca another 42 cases with 49 minors, in Paphos 31 cases with 45 people involved, in Famagusta 36 cases with 54 people and in Morphou three cases with nine minors.
In 2022 we had the most cases in Limassol, as 65 criminal cases were opened with 100 children involved, another 48 cases in Nicosia with 67 minors, in Larnaca 23 cases with 27 children, in Paphos 40 cases with 43 involved, in Famagusta 24 cases with 26 minors and in Morphou seven cases with eight minors. According to the Police, a person may be involved in more than one case.
As far as minor violations are concerned, Nicosia holds the lead in cases for 2024, but Famagusta is the number of people involved. Specifically, in 2024, 54 cases had been investigated in Nicosia involving 64 minors, 38 cases in Limassol and 58 involved, 45 in Larnaca with 66 involved, 19 in Paphos with 34 involved, 38 cases in Famagusta with 76 involved and four cases in Morphou with an equal number of involved.
The picture for 2023 is: 87 cases with 107 involved in Nicosia, 33 cases with 57 children involved in Limassol, 11 cases in Larnaca with 21 controlled children, 9 cases in Paphos with 16 children, 19 in Famagusta with 42 involved minors and five in Morphou with seven minor children.
For 2022, 62 cases were investigated in Nicosia with 78 involved children, 91 cases in Limassol with 110 involved children, another 28 in Larnaca with 40 involved, 18 cases in Paphos with 18 involved, 97 in Famagusta with 163 involved and five in Morphou with six involved.
