JUVENILE-DELINQUENCY AND DRUG-DEPENDENCE IN HUNGARY

It is regretable that the delinquency has increased in Hungary over th e past 15 years. This fact occurred because criminality increased to a greater extent than average, and this means a steady supply of adult criminals. According to the surveys of the forensic psychiatrical reco rds carried out over the 4 years between 1987-1990 in archival materia l of our Department, the criminological factors which occured most fre quently in juvenile delinquency among the 14-18-year-old age group are immature personality, endangered family background and inadequate sch ool attendance. Thirty percent of criminal acts could be connected wit h alcoholism, 65% with theft, and 22% with aggressive delinquency. An important role in the increasing juvenile delinquency must be attribut ed to the crisis of the previous regime, including the faulty endeavou rs in child and youth protection and the inefficient school system. Th e decrease in living standards and the employment of women in work con tributed to the loosening of family relations and the dereliction of c hildren's education. The proportion of institutional young people amon g the perpetrators is high. Another factor with regard to the disadvan tageous situation is the migration of young people to the towns from v illages. Without the necessary conditions and with the poor company of friends, this presents an intensified criminological danger. Preventi on is obviously of outstanding importance. The improvement of the econ omic situation, stability of families, substantial changes in school r eform, the fight against alcoholism and the modem judicial regulation can be the means to achieve this goal.