From crime and punishment to empathy and acceptance: family therapy training and supervision with Turkish juvenile probation officers

Abstract

The first offense of the youth indicates an underlying unresolved issue in the family system and the youth involved in crime is the symptom carrier. Probation officers need to work with youth to identify their needs for further resources to prevent future crime. For Ahmet, crime emerged as a way of connecting with his uncle; it was a shared experience that made him feel connected to a family member. Although crime was dysfunctional and harmful, it had an emotional and a relational meaning for Ahmet. In the eyes of the family, Ayse was not a motivated idealistic helper, nor was she their ally. They perceived Ayse simply as another representative of the state, an officer, and a symbol of institutional punishment. The beauty of family therapy is to collect broken pieces of hearts of family members and heal them through hope, connection, loyalty, trust, acknowledgment, and empathy.