Retrospective evaluation of tobacco, alcohol, and substance use among juveniles in conflict with the law who applied to the forensic medicine department of Dicle University Faculty of Medicine in 2023

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the tobacco, alcohol, and substance use of juveniles in conflict with the law who applied to the Forensic Medicine Department of Dicle University Faculty of Medicine to obtain a forensic evaluation report. In the study, 50 cases for which a report was prepared under Article 31/2 of the Turkish Penal Code at the Forensic Medicine Department of Dicle University Faculty of Medicine (DUTF) in 2023 were retrospectively examined from a forensic medical perspective. Of the juveniles brought in for forensic evaluation, 94% were male. The most common crime committed by the juveniles was propaganda for a terrorist organization, followed by robbery and then sexual offenses. It was found that 54% of the juveniles in conflict with the law had dropped out of primary, secondary, or high school before completing their education. According to the examination by the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 20% of the juveniles were diagnosed with ADHD, 78% had no psychopathology, and 98% had normal intelligence levels. It was determined that 60% of the juveniles in conflict with the law had a history of smoking, 12% had a history of alcohol use, and 8% had a history of substance use. Among those with a history of substance abuse, all had a history of smoking, and 75% had a history of alcohol use. The average age of those with a history of substance use was found to be 14, and cannabis was the most commonly used substance. Additionally, half of the juveniles with a history of substance use had not completed their education.