Navigating Adolescent Challenges: Insights from the Private Investigator Konstantinos Sotiropoulos

Kidnappings – Bad influences – Drugs – Bullying – Disappearances of Teenagers

The scenario definitely involves a private detective and a case to be solved. However, reality and imagination, especially in the work of a private investigator, do not have a huge distance. Let’s say they have the discreet distance that a detective keeps from the person being observed.

Konstantinos Sotiropoulos maintains private investigation offices and has been active in the field of confidential investigations for almost 35 years. This work entails great responsibility, and beyond the adrenaline that truly rises at times, the private investigator is a “knower of all,” knowledgeable in the law, with a penetrating gaze and elements of empathy, especially when his cases involve families and children. The well-known private investigator will help us by thoroughly investigating the causes that concern the deviant behavior of our children in adolescence and indirectly advise us on how we could manage such problems, having filtered through years of experience what brings positive outcomes or prevents the negative consequences of adolescent deviance.

Μany cases that come to our offices have to do with families and children. Usually, these are children who are in their adolescence or early adulthood, and it is likely that at some point they will face certain common problems due to questioning and searching for their own identity. This age, after all, is the beautiful path that connects childhood to adulthood, and on this path, the teenager, despite the detours, will acquire a recognizable form and an almost complete character. In the face of the challenges encountered in their daily lives, proper supervision and guidance are the most important factors for their future journey in life. In my profession, we strive to focus on the source of the problem and inform the parents, as early as possible.

The problems
Crime has firmly entered our daily lives. Trends of suicide among teenagers are increasing, as well as the use of drugs, reckless alcohol consumption, exposure of their physical integrity to actions that still put them at risk, various addictions to gambling, excessive internet use, fan violence, potential unwanted pregnancies, involvement in prostitution, social exclusion leading to depression, and more. These are problems that parents entrust to us when they come to our offices, seeking our help to address and prevent them.

Certainly, there is no handbook that addresses all cases of adolescent problems, but what is certain is that the constant vigilance of parents/guardians, an immediate investigation into the cause of unusual behavior, followed by proper guidance from specialized child psychiatrists, child psychologists, social workers, and certainly teachers and coaches, leads to finding a solution. We have observed that this multifaceted approach is a great first step and certainly prevents things from getting worse.

Parents
Parents usually come quite worried and often in a panic, as the presence of a child within a family during these transitional phases brings anxiety and irritability, especially when the child starts exhibiting negative reactions and deviant behaviors. There are parents who take preventive control, while others magnify things and unintentionally create tension that does not correspond to the reality and magnitude of the problem. An honest and sincere private investigator, always with professional experience and specialization, should reassure and guide parents in the right direction.

The Young Drug Trafficker
I will mention some indicative cases that even I, as a professional, was deeply concerned about. The case involves a 15-year-old child from a very good and stable family, with both parents being scientists and particularly involved with their children.

It all started when the father of a 16-year-old girl found out from his daughter that she was using cannabis and that the supplier was a young teenager from the neighboring area. The father, doing the right thing, informed the parents of the young boy, who in turn approached our offices. We conducted an investigation and, with considerable effort due to the incredible organization of the network and the entire system we discovered that the 15-year-old had become a drug trafficker. We were surprised because the young boy’s overall presence was beyond suspicion. He was a young man with a calm and smiling face, displaying no excessive behavior, having an admirable academic performance, and simultaneously excelling as an athlete. He moved around “silently” on his bicycle and was discreet, showing no signs of anxiety, fear, or nervousness in his actions. I must also mention, to the credit of the family, that they informed other parents about this development. His parents handled the situation very promptly and correctly, and the buy realized the potential consequences for himself, his family, and his peers. Of course, the parents also informed the authorities, as it was deemed necessary for the proper procedure and possible complications along the way.

Abrupt Abandonment of the Family Home
Another case of adolescent deviance involved the search for an 18-year-old girl who suddenly left her home and willingly followed an “unknown” woman to a provincial town, living with her as a roommate or guest. As observed from the investigation, a romantic relationship had developed between them. In the course of a short period of time, it was revealed that this particular woman was intentionally operating within a prostitution ring, gradually promoting young girls into online pornography and facilitating their involvement in a small circle of well-known lesbian women. Essentially, this is the seduction of a minor, as the initial acquaintance took place half a year before she turned eighteen. This case, similar to the previous one, had a common denominator, which involved using social media for contact.

Discreet Following
In the past decade, our offices have been facing more acute problems concerning Greek families. The intense form of ghettoization, with all its implications such as violence, vandalism, extreme attacks on properties, and the ugliest aspect known as gang rapes – a truly alarming sign of our times – has become more prevalent.

Many parents seek discreet following and protection for their children while monitoring their involvement in their daily lives.

Bullying
Several families report facing violent behavior from their children. We have investigated and discovered gyms where young people engage in the use of steroids, which leads to psychological fluctuations, children experiencing isolation and victimization from social groups, and facing electronic exclusion from online platforms, which may cause irritation. We should be highly suspicious of all these occurrences.

Therefore, for the effective management of teenage delinquency or any unusual behavior, interventions should be carried out by specialized individuals, where each of these supportive systems contributes individually or in combination.

Advice
First, we research and identify the core of the problem, visit a specialized child psychologist or child psychiatrist, and seek guidance on how to properly handle the case.  We also inform the teachers, so that they are aware of the student’s specific needs.

“Checking In”
The most important thing I hear from parents who visit us for a preventive investigation is “checking in.” It’s the parents who show understanding to their children, provide emotional support, and enable them to make choices for selecting the right company. These parenting behaviors are capable of helping the family avoid problems and navigate the age transition harmoniously.

For those of us in this field, it’s a blessing to see that something we offer as professionals brings substantial help.

As a father of a teenager myself, I deal with adolescent issues on a daily basis through my work, which I love. Therefore, whatever concerns parents, concerns me too. While every situation in every family and home may not be the same, we are there for them to help to the degree we can and are allowed.

Attention!
It is very important for parents to approach private investigation offices that have official and up-to-date licenses from the Greek State. Additionally, if some individuals present and highlight specializations, awards, and anything else that constitutes and instills a sense of assurance, they should require the presentation of such credentials during their meeting.

Konstantinos Sotiropoulos
Private Investigator
Sotiropoulos & Associates
100 Aiolou Str., Athens
Athens-Kifissia-Glyfada-Piraeus-Patra-
Ioannina-Thessaloniki & abroad

Tel.: 2103217000
Website: www.sotiropoulos-24h.gr
Email: [email protected]