The overall number of juvenile arrests in Greece fell during the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to official police figures. However, authorities and experts say the data point to a more troubling trend: while fewer minors are entering the criminal justice system, the offenses committed are becoming increasingly violent.
Police recorded 2,455 arrests of minors nationwide between January and May 2026, down from 3,888 during the corresponding period in 2025. The number of juvenile offenders identified in criminal investigations also declined, from 4,906 to 3,739, while the total number of cases involving juvenile delinquency dropped from 3,578 to 2,783.
Despite the overall decrease, several categories of serious crime showed an upward trend.
More Arrests for Weapons, Drugs and Violent Crimes
The largest number of juvenile arrests involved drug-related offenses, with 578 arrests recorded in the first five months of 2026, up from 447 a year earlier.
Arrests for weapons offenses also increased, reaching 207 compared with 181 during the same period in 2025.
While the total number of arrests for assault-related offenses fell, several serious categories registered increases. Police recorded more cases involving dangerous bodily harm, fatal bodily harm, assaults against vulnerable individuals and violent group confrontations.
Property crimes followed a similar pattern. Although total arrests declined, arrests for theft and robbery rose slightly compared with the previous year.
One of the most striking findings concerns crimes against life. By the end of May 2026, police had arrested five minors in four separate homicide cases. No such arrests had been recorded during the same period in 2025. Arrests for attempted homicide, however, fell from eight to four.
There was also a modest increase in arrests linked to criminal organizations.
Authorities See a Shift Toward More Serious Violence
According to police officials, the figures suggest that juvenile crime is changing in nature rather than simply increasing or decreasing.
They point to more frequent use of sharp objects during violent incidents, a lower average age among those involved—often between 13 and 15 years old—and growing participation by teenage girls in violent offenses.
The recent killing of a 15-year-old, committed by a 17-year-old following a confrontation involving several minors, has intensified public concern over youth violence.
Experts Urge Caution When Interpreting the Numbers
Mental health experts argue that arrest statistics alone do not fully reflect the reality of juvenile delinquency.
According to child psychiatrist Giorgos Nikolaidis, the apparent rise in juvenile crime in recent years is partly the result of stricter legislation, which has led to more minors being referred to prosecutors rather than indicating a proportional increase in criminal behavior.
He believes the tougher legal framework has made juvenile offending more visible, creating a cycle in which public concern fuels even stricter laws. At the same time, he agrees that the violence seen in juvenile crime has become more severe.
Nikolaidis also argues that adolescents today have grown up amid successive crises and face increasingly difficult living conditions, factors that may contribute to the escalation of violent behavior.
Youth Probation Officers Call for Prevention
Youth probation officers say they are overwhelmed by the growing workload, limiting their ability to provide meaningful intervention for young offenders and their families.
They argue that many cases reaching their offices stem from broader gaps in mental health and social support services rather than criminal justice issues alone. The association representing probation officers has repeatedly called for the establishment of dedicated social services within major courts, saying this would improve case assessments and strengthen preventive measures.
According to the officers, tackling the root social and economic causes of juvenile delinquency is essential to reducing repeat offending.
More Juveniles in Detention
The report also highlights a sharp increase in the number of minors held in detention.
According to data from Greece’s General Secretariat for Anti-Crime Policy, 99 juveniles were in custody as of June 16, compared with 36 in June 2024.
Legal experts attribute the increase largely to legislative changes that expanded the circumstances under which minors can be detained, increased the maximum sentence for the most serious crimes from eight to ten years, and extended pre-trial detention from six to nine months in specific cases.
