Number of juvenile crimes increased by 21 in January-April 2010

PanARMENIAN.Net - The number of juvenile crimes increased by 21 in Armenia in January-April 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009, the deputy head of the RA Police of Juvenile Affairs said.

“The total number of juvenile crimes was 532 in 2009, the crimes mostly being theft and bodily injuries. Heinous crime are rare enough, with 25 juvenile offenders serving sentence in jails,” Nelly Duryan told reporter on June 7.

She also informed that the department has expanded activities.

“If earlier we were dealing with disclosure and prevention of crimes, today we work to prevent crimes against underage, including search of people who provoke juvenile crimes. Besides, rehabilitation centers for juvenile offenders were established Armenia,” Duryan said.

As to begging, she said that practice shows that “if a child starts begging, he will start stealing as well.”

Duryan also noted that the young people’s mentality has changed. “Young people who need money prefer to work now. 170 young beggars were registered in 1997; in 2009 their number reduced to 23,” she said.

According to statistical data, 100 cases of violence against underage were registered in 2009, 68 of them committed by boys and 32 by girls. Trafficking in underage was last fixed in 2008. 28 cases of suicide were registered.