The researchers cited social stigma as a factor that causes juveniles to reoffend. (image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Sept. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — A majority of teenagers placed under probation for committing crimes have been found to have committed crimes again within a year.
A total of 4,163 teenagers committed crimes again despite being subjected to probation in 2017, according to crime analysis statistics jointly released Sunday by the Korea Youth Counseling and Welfare Institute (KYCI) and the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.
Among them, 90.4 percent of teenagers committed crimes again within a year.
The percentage of teenagers who were admitted to juvenile detention centers for crimes and returned to juvenile detention centers after committing crimes within a year of their detention is also on the rise.
The ratio of re-entering the juvenile detention centers in 2014 was 9.5 percent (228 out of 2,398 teenagers) but this rate rose to 14 percent in 2016 (287 out of 2,045 students).
Furthermore, the crimes being committed are becoming more and more brutal.
According to the component ratio of each type of juvenile crime, property crimes such as theft, fraud and embezzlement declined from 45.1 percent in 2015 to 43.5 percent in 2016 and 39.9 percent in 2017.
On the other hand, violent crimes such as murder, robbery and sexual violence increased to 28.4 percent, 30 percent and 33.7 percent during the same period.
The researchers cited social stigma as a factor that causes juveniles to reoffend.
These juvenile delinquents were typically stigmatized by third parties such as friends and teachers, as well as by family members such as parents.
“Although the recidivism rate of juvenile delinquents is increasing and becoming more violent, there is insufficient discussion about effective intervention to prevent the rise and stop the crime,” a KYCI official said.
D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)
