The subject of juvenile delinquency gained importance in recent years. Children with natural weakness, and difficulties they experienced in social and legal norms, could slant to unhealthy environments and may engage in crime. According to their developmental stage, childrens’ abilities percieving a criminal act couldn’t be to the extent of an adults. Besides individual or hereditary factors, environmental and family characteristics are the main factors drifting a child into crime. Therefore, prevention projects should first determine the reasons that drift a child to crime. Before criminal liability installed, the child should be assessed with its whole environment and be protected just because of its childish characteristics. “Child Protection Law” (CPL) puts the protective and supportive measures in the forefront and states that restrictive measures for freedom and imprisonment should be applied as a last expedient. This paper discusses the current situation of juvenile delinquency and child victims in Turkey and give examples of preventive measures.

Keywords: juvenile delinquency, family, adolescent, child protection law