19.08.2026 17:31
The project, implemented in cooperation with the Istanbul Governorship and Istanbul University, aims to protect children before they fall into criminal networks. The first step was taken in the Early Intervention and Restorative Justice Model, which aims to protect children at risk from crime in Umraniye, which was selected as the pilot district.
With the approval of the Istanbul Governorship, the first informational meeting within the scope of the model developed to address the risk factors that lead children involved in the judicial process to crime was held at the Ümraniye District Governorate. Within the framework of the protocol signed with Istanbul University, the meeting, hosted by Ümraniye District Governor Yüksel Çelik, was coordinated by Social Services and Communication Specialist Taner Akkuş.
INSTITUTIONS COME TOGETHER FOR CHILDREN IN ÜMRANİYE
Attendees of the meeting included representatives from the Ümraniye Municipality, the Police Department, the Directorate of National Education, the Guidance and Research Center, the Mufti's Office, and the ASHM, as well as neighborhood headmen (muhtars). The meeting, which began under the direction of the District Governorate's Administrative Affairs Manager Ali Gencer, was also attended by Kadir Delibalta, President of the Turkey Muhtars Confederation, Güler Temiz from the Ümraniye Muhtars Association, and Nuran Kırlak, President of the Ahde Vefa Platform.
GOAL IS TO SEE THE RISK BEFORE THE CRIME OCCURS
Taner Akkuş, who serves as the field coordinator for the project carried out under the leadership of Istanbul University Technology Transfer Office (Istanbul TTO), drew attention to the importance of identifying the risks children are exposed to before they are drawn into crime. Akkuş emphasized that strong inter-institutional coordination is the cornerstone of early intervention.
In Ümraniye, selected as the pilot region, the child's social environment, educational status, and potential risks will be evaluated with a holistic perspective. The aim is to establish a preventive system that stops the risk at its source, rather than relying on classical methods that come into play after a crime has been committed.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-SUPPORTED DECISION SYSTEM
One of the most striking aspects of the project is the artificial intelligence-supported decision support system to be developed by Istanbul TTO. This system aims to analyze the risk of children being drawn into crime or re-offending and provide early warnings to relevant institutions.
REPAIR BEFORE PUNISHMENT: THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE APPROACH
Another fundamental element of the model, the restorative justice approach, centers on the child's needs, family, and social environment rather than emphasizing punishment. Educational and sports activities will also be used as important tools in the social reintegration of children.
With the first informational meeting in Ümraniye, the project has officially gone into the field. The system's ultimate goal is clear: to see the risk before the child is drawn into crime, to provide the right intervention on time, and to reintegrate the child into society.