NCJ Number
135679
Date Published
1989
Length
19 pages
Annotation
The United Nations convened a meeting in August 1989 that provided a forum for social development and criminal justice experts to discuss issues relevant to adolescence and crime prevention in the ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) region.
Abstract
The meeting addressed the following broad issues: juvenile offense patterns, effects of the social environment on juvenile offenses, and juvenile justice administration. The 21 experts attending represented Bangladesh, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The opening speaker emphasized that preventing juvenile crime and delinquency and strengthening the juvenile justice system are important policy objectives of governments throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Other speakers discussed the increase in juvenile delinquency and youth crime, the relation between juvenile crime and socioeconomic deprivation, juvenile offender treatment, juvenile crime in urban areas, juvenile drug abuse, and violent crime involving young people. Speakers addressing the subject of juvenile justice administration looked at family court systems, juvenile laws and codes, juvenile probation, and juvenile offender processing. Recommendations are offered that focus on socioeconomic issues, the family and the community, guidance and counseling, legal protection and legal services, alternatives to juvenile detention, community-based programs, preventive social measures (related to the family, the community, and education), juvenile justice administration, and regional cooperation.