NCJ Number
218610
Date Published
2007
Length
65 pages
Annotation
This study examined the extent to which the country of Georgia's juvenile justice policies and procedures were consistent with the United Nations (U.N.) Convention on the Rights of the Child, the U.N. Minimum Standards and Norms of Juvenile Justice, and current views of good juvenile justice practice.
Abstract
The overall conclusion of this analysis is that Georgia's current juvenile justice system has failed to implement the articles of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and does not comply with the U.N. Minimum Standards and Norms on Juvenile Justice or current views of good juvenile justice practice. The current system does not give sufficient priority to prevention and diversion from formal juvenile justice processing. This report recommends drafting and implementing a new juvenile justice code that would bring Georgia's juvenile justice policies and practices into compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the child and the U.N. Minimum Standards and Norms in Juvenile Justice. The state's Ministry of Interior should establish special units within the police for dealing with juvenile offenders, victims, and witnesses in accordance with Rule 12 Beijing Rules and the U.N. Guidelines on Justice in Matters Involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime. The state does not have juvenile courts or judges who specialize in juvenile justice. Contrary to the U.N. Minimum Standards and Norms in Juvenile Justice, there is no specified juvenile criminal procedure for the distinctive processing of children who appear before the court. Children are tried in adult courts under the same procedures and conditions as adult offenders. There are an inadequate range of alternatives to detention. Proposed amendments to Georgia's Criminal Code that would reduce the age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12 are particularly alarming given current policies and procedure for processing juveniles.