Criminal activity involving young people aged 16 to 22 has risen sharply in Sri Lanka over the last decade, according to Forensic Psychiatrist Dr. Tharaka Fernando.
Addressing a media briefing held in connection with the 100th anniversary of the Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Fernando said local studies point to a troubling upward trend in youth-related crime a pattern that mirrors developments seen in many parts of the world.
He noted that Sri Lanka’s official data from around 2015–2016 shows a dramatic surge in court prosecutions and convictions, with figures increasing by almost 200 per cent during that period.
Warning of the long-term consequences, Dr. Fernando described the situation as deeply concerning and cautioned that if corrective action is not taken, future prison populations could be dominated by individuals in the 16–22 age bracket.
He also challenged the common assumption that criminal behaviour is largely driven by mental illness, calling it a harmful and inaccurate belief.
While acknowledging that mental health concerns do exist within society, Dr. Fernando emphasised that they should not be automatically linked to crime. Such misconceptions, he said, only fuel stigma and discourage people from seeking the psychiatric care they genuinely need.
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