Georgia reveals surge in juvenile crime rates

In Georgia, 257 individuals aged between 14 and 17 were detained for various crimes between January and April 2026, according to data from the National Statistics Service.

Around 40% of the arrests were made in Tbilisi. Adjara ranked second in terms of the number of detained minors, followed by the Imereti region, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Most of the detained teenagers are accused of theft, followed by robbery, and then organizing or participating in group violence. Other reported offenses include threats, bodily harm, and drug-related crimes.

At the same time, between January 1 and May 1, 2026, 503 minors under the age of 18 were recognized as victims of various crimes. The majority were victims of domestic violence and assaults.

Georgia has a legal framework for the protection of minors, which simplifies procedures for recognizing a minor as a victim of a criminal offense and places such cases under special oversight.

Regarding juvenile accountability, the law provides for a separate legal regime that applies more lenient penalties compared to those for adults.

However, involvement of minors in crimes by adults has been introduced as an aggravating circumstance, resulting in harsher sentences for offenders who recruit or involve underage individuals.

By Jeyhun Aghazada