NCJ Number
192431
Journal
International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice Volume: 25 Issue: 1, 2 Dated: Spring/Fall 2001 Pages: 149-165
Date Published
2001
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the protections afforded juveniles under the laws in Cameroon.
Abstract
Cameroon law defines a juvenile as a "human being below the age of eighteen years unless, under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier" (Article 1 Convention on the Rights of the Child). Following an overview of the historical development of Cameroon's legal system and penal law, this paper examines protections provided juveniles under the current Federal Code in the following areas: decency/morality, murder, and marriage. Regarding decency/morality, the Code prescribes that sex with a person under 16 years old is felony rape, with the penalty increasing if violence is used. The crime of moral danger is committed when an adult allows a person under the age of 18 for whom he/she has legal custody to work or reside in an establishment where prostitution is practiced. Further, the law punishes a woman who procures or consents to an abortion. In the case of the murder of a juvenile, the murder becomes aggravated when a victim is less than 15 years old; this warrants the death penalty. There are also protections against forced marriages, in that persons under the age of 18 may not be compelled to marry. This paper also discusses the protections provided juveniles under civil laws that pertain to alimony and child support as well as paternity. The protections afforded children in Cameroon under family law are discussed, along with the protections provided to juveniles under some international instruments. Some gaps in the protective measures afforded juveniles in Cameroon are also identified and discussed. 23 references