Juvenile Crimes Dropped in 2010
The number of underaged lawbreakers sent to juvenile courts dropped by a fifth last year to 2,727. The majority live in Tallinn, Ida-Viru County and Tartu.
Every fourth violation involved activities that are banned specifically for minors, such as smoking and drinking alcohol. Skipping school was also a popular offense, comprising 18 percent of the misdemeanors.
Around 10 percent of the kids were not punished, and most of the remaining ones were let off with a warning. Others were ordered to attend counseling or were given community service tasks. Fifty-one children were sent to special schools for troubled youth.
Fifty-seven percent of the offenders were under the age of 14 and could therefore not be charged for crimes.
Ott Tammik