Los delincuentes juveniles en Toledo (España) desde el año 2001 a 2012: características psicosociales, educativas y delictivas / Juvenile delinquents in Toledo (Spain) from 2001 to 2012: psychosocial, educational and criminal characteristics

Introducción: En este artículo se analizan los datos del equipo técnico (psicólogo, trabajador social y educador) del juzgado de menores de Toledo (España) desde el año 2001 a 2012. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo de la serie anual de una muestra de 3.333 menores infractores y de sus características psicosociales, educativas y delictivas. Resultados: En los últimos años de la serie se tiende a infracciones de mayor gravedad cometidas por chicos de mayor edad. Conclusiones: La delincuencia de menores en esta provincia desde el año 2001 se mantuvo constante hasta el año 2009, en el que se observa un destacado repunte para volver a bajar durante los años 2011 y 2012. Sin embargo, en los últimos años de la serie (a partir de 2008) se constata un aumento de la gravedad de los hechos, al ser significativamente más numerosos los delitos que las faltas. También se ha detectado que probablemente el sistema infradiagnostica a los menores infractores, tanto en problemas de salud mental como en consumo de alcohol y otras drogas. Por lo tanto, estos menores no se beneficiarían adecuadamente de las medidas impuestas por el sistema de justicia juvenil

Introduction: This paper presents an analysis of the data of the technical team (psychologist, social worker and educator) of the juvenile court of Toledo (Spain) from 2001 to 2012. Methodology: Descriptive study of the annual series of a sample of 3,333 juvenile offenders and their psychosocial, educational and criminal characteristics. Results: In the latter years of the series there tends to be infractions of greater gravity committed by older boys. Conclusions: Juvenile delinquency in the province of Toledo remained constant from 2001 until 2009, when a sharp increase was observed, which lowered again during the years 2011 and 2012. However, in the latter years of the series (starting 2008) an increase in the gravity of the acts is noted, with the number of crimes increasing more significantly than the misdemeanours. The team has also detected that perhaps institutions underestimate the diagnosis of the juvenile misdemeanours, even in mental health issues, such as abuse of alcohol and other substances. Therefore, these minors may not achieve the benefits of the justice youth system

Phenotypic plasticity facilitates resistance to climate change in a highly variable environment.

Increased summer drought will exacerbate the regeneration of many tree species at their lower latitudinal and altitudinal distribution limits. In vulnerable habitats, introduction of more drought-tolerant provenances or species is currently considered to accelerate tree species migration and facilitate forest persistence. Trade-offs between drought adaptation and growth plasticity might, however, limit the effectiveness of assisted migration, especially if introductions focus on provenances or species from different climatic regions. We tested in a common garden experiment the performance of Pinus sylvestris seedlings from the continental Central Alps under increased temperatures and extended spring and/or summer drought, and compared seedling emergence, survival and biomass allocation to that of P. sylvestris and closely related Pinus nigra from a Mediterranean seed source. Soil heating had only minor effects on seedling performance but high spring precipitation doubled the number of continental P. sylvestris seedlings present after the summer drought. At the same time, twice as many seedlings of the Mediterranean than the continental P. sylvestris provenance were present, which was due to both higher emergence and lower mortality under dry conditions. Both P. sylvestris provenances allocated similar amounts of biomass to roots when grown under low summer precipitation. Mediterranean seedlings, however, revealed lower phenotypic plasticity than continental seedlings under high precipitation, which might limit their competitive ability in continental Alpine forests in non-drought years. By contrast, high variability in the response of individual seedlings to summer drought indicates the potential of continental P. sylvestris provenances to adapt to changing environmental conditions.