Life without Crime as a Fundamental Right of the Child: On the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency

Abstract

 The publication analyses the concept of child-friendly justice within the context of law‑enforcement practices with regard to international and European Union law. The work is based on the premise that a child’s rights are human rights of the child. One of the fundamental rights of every child is the right to a friendly legal environment, which includes the right to grow up in an environment free from the harmful effects of crime. The discussion presented is based on several years of international research by the author, who concludes that harmful effects of crime can be manifested readily in cases wherein a child violates the law, becomes a victim of crime, or witnesses a crime. The author concludes that such harmful experiences for a child can be eliminated in practice through application of the recommendations of international law.