Evaluation of forensic cases under the age of 18 reported at İnönü University Turgut Özal Medical Center forensic medicine polyclinic

Aim: The aim of our study was to reveal the sociodemographic characteristics of children presenting with forensic cases, determine the types of trauma they were exposed to based on age groups and sex, identify key factors to consider in forensic medical evaluations, and develop recommendations for child protection.
Materials and Methods: Between September 2008 and May 2021, 132 cases under the age of 18 for whom forensic reports were prepared at the Department of Forensic Medicine at İnönü University were retrospectively analyzed in terms of age, sex, reason for the report request, requesting units, date of the incident, location of the trauma, injuries sustained, and report results.
Results: Among the cases, 91 (68.9%) were male and 41 (31.1%) were female. The highest number of reports were requested for the 0-6 age group (43.2%). The majority of report requests (64.4%) were made by judicial law enforcement units. The incidents occurred most frequently in July (13.6%) and during the summer season (31.8%). The most common causes of injury were traffic accidents (37.1%), followed by assault (15.9%) and falls (15.9%). In the 15-17 age group, assault incidents (33.3%) were the most common, while traffic accidents were the most frequent in other age groups. Injuries to the head, neck, and face accounted for 36.1% of the total injuries. It was determined that 62 cases involved bone fractures, 45.5% of which had moderate to severe effects on vital functions.
Conclusion: To support the healthy development of children, it is crucial to identify all adverse factors, undertake efforts to prevent these factors, and implement effective rehabilitation measures. In this context, forensic evaluations can offer significant opportunities for safeguarding children. Families, educational institutions, and governments hold important responsibilities in ensuring the healthy upbringing of children and reducing their exposure to judicial cases, trauma, and acts of violence.