The Participation of Juvenile Defendants in the Youth Court

A Comparative Study of Juvenile Justice Procedures in Europe

Stephanie S. Rap, Stephanie Rap

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN:
  9781040786796
• Topic: History
• Index: History

This study revolves around the issue of the participation of juvenile defendants in the youth court. Juvenile defendants' right to be heard, as stipulated in international children's rights law and standards, and the fact that juveniles have a limited understanding of the juvenile justice process are taken as starting points to formulate directives in order for young persons to be able to participate effectively in the youth court. In total, the cases of 3,019 juvenile defendants have been observed in youth courts and other competent administrative bodies in juvenile justice in 11 European countries. The Scottish children's hearing and the juvenile justice practice in Switzerland come forward as examples of best practice regarding the participation of juveniles. A more intimate and informal setting contributes to making the hearing more accessible for the young person and his parents. Furthermore, this study shows that the fulfilment of the requirements for the effective participation of juvenile defendants is not possible in the adversarial youth courts in Europe.

Table of contents

• Acknowledgements
• Chapter 1 Introduction
• 1.1 Children's rights
• 1.2 Interdisciplinary approach
• 1.3 Previous studies on court practice
• 1.3.1 Initial studies on courtroom practices
• 1.3.2 Studies on courtroom practices in Europe
• 1.4 Definition of key terms
• 1.4.1 Participation
• 1.4.2 Juvenile defendant
• 1.4.3 Juvenile justice procedure
• 1.5 Focus of this study
• 1.5.1 Research questions
• Purpose and relevance
• 1.5.2 Research strategy and design
• Sampling
• Access
• Conducting observations
• Interviews
• Data analysis
• 1.5.3 Quality of the study
• Reliability
• Triangulation
• Member validation
• Reactivity
• External validity
• 1.5.4 Scope of the study
• 1.6 Structure of the book
• Part I Normative framework of the study
• A children's rights perspective on the participation of juvenile defendants
• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 The historical development of international children's rights
• 2.3 UN Standard Minimum Rules on the Administration of Juvenile Justice (Beijing Rules)
• 2.4 The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
• 2.4.1 Article 40 CRC – juvenile justice
• 2.4.2 Articles 2, 3, 6 and 12 CRC – general principles
• The non-discrimination principle
• The best interests of the child principle
• The right to life principle
• The right to be heard
• Conclusion
• 2.5 Developments following the adoption of the CRC
• 2.5.1 Relevant case law of the European Court of Human Rights
• 2.5.2 General Comment no. 10 – Children's rights in juvenile justice
• 2.5.3 General Comment no. 12 – The right of the child to be heard
• 2.5.4 The Council of Europe's guidelines on child-friendly justice
• Conclusion
• 2.6 Conclusion
• Chapter 3 A developmental psychological perspective on procedural justice for juvenile defendants
• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 Fair trial and procedural justice
• 3.3 The importance of procedural justice from a developmental psychological perspective
• 3.3.1 Cognitive development
• Risk proneness
• Peer pressure
• 3.3.2 Emotional development
• Autonomy and identity development
• Empathy
• Guilt and shame
• Conclusion
• 3.4 Understanding the juvenile justice process
• 3.4.1 Adjudicative capacities of juvenile defendants
• Juvenile defendants' understanding
• Hearing the views of juvenile defendants
• 3.4.2 The lawyer's role in juvenile justice proceedings
• Explanation
• 3.4.3 The parents' role in juvenile justice proceedings
• Parental control and monitoring
• Active role of parents
• Conclusion
• 3.5 Conclusion
• Chapter 4 Requirements for the effective participation of juvenile defendants
• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.2 Hearing the views of juvenile defendants
• 4.2.1 The setting of the youth court
• 4.2.2 Conversation techniques
• 4.2.3 Hearing juvenile defendants' views
• 4.2.4 Showing a genuine interest
• 4.2.5 Hearing parents' views
• Conclusion
• 4.3 Juvenile defendants' understanding
• 4.3.1 Giving explanations
• 4.3.2 Avoiding judicial jargon
• 4.3.3 Clarifying the judgment and sentence
• 4.3.4 Contributing to the understanding of the consequences
• Conclusion
• 4.4 Conclusion
• Part II The juvenile justice systems
• General characteristics of the juvenile justice process
• 5.1 Introduction
• 5.2 Age limits
• 5.2.1 The minimum age of criminal responsibility
• 5.2.2 Criminal prosecution of minors
• 5.2.3 The upper age limit of the juvenile justice system
• Flexible model
• Strict model
• 5.2.4 Young adults
• Conclusion
• 5.3 Juvenile justice and child protection
• 5.3.1 A strong relationship between juvenile justice and child protection
• 5.3.2 A strict divide between youth justice and youth protection
• Conclusion
• 5.4 The inquisitorial and adversarial legal tradition in juvenile justice
• 5.4.1 The main characteristics of the inquisitorial and adversarial legal tradition
• 5.4.2 The inquisitorial legal tradition
• 5.4.3 The adversarial legal tradition
• Conclusion
• 5.5 Conclusion
• Chapter 6 Main actors in the juvenile justice system
• 6.1 Introduction
• 6.2 The police and the prosecution service
• 6.2.1 Discretionary powers of the police
• 6.2.2 Discretionary powers of the prosecutor
• Conclusion
• 6.3 Legal representation
• Conclusion
• 6.4 Youth court judge
• 6.4.1 Active role
• 6.4.2 Passive role
• Conclusion
• 6.5 Social services
• 6.5.1 Organisation of social services
• 6.5.2 Early or late start of the involvement
• 6.5.3 Role in the youth court
• Active role
• Passive role
• In between
• Conclusion
• 6.6 Parents
• 6.6.1 Civil liability
• 6.6.2 Civil liability and criminal responsibility
• Conclusion
• 6.7 Conclusion
• Part III Effective participation in practice
• Hearing the views of juvenile defendants
• 7.1 Introduction
• 7.2 Requirements for hearing the views of juvenile defendants
• 7.2.1 The setting of the youth court
• Hearings in chambers
• Youth court hearings
• Conclusion
• 7.2.2 Conversation techniques
• Conclusion
• 7.2.3 Hearing juvenile defendants' views
• Hearings in chambers
• Youth court hearings
• Conclusion
• 7.2.4 Showing a genuine interest
• Hearings in chambers
• Youth court hearings
• Conclusion
• 7.2.5 Hearing parents' views
• Hearings in chambers
• Youth court hearings
• Conclusion
• 7.3 Conclusion
• Chapter 8 Juvenile defendants' understanding
• 8.1 Introduction
• 8.2 Requirements for enhancing juvenile defendants' understanding
• 8.2.1 Giving explanations
• Hearings in chambers
• Youth court hearings
• Conclusion
• 8.2.2 Avoiding judicial jargon
• Hearings in chambers
• Youth court hearing
• Conclusion
• 8.2.3 Clarifying the judgment and sentence
• Hearings in chambers
• Youth court hearings
• Conclusion
• 8.2.4 Understanding the consequences
• Hearings in chambers
• Youth court hearing
• Conclusion
• 8.3 Conclusion
• Chapter 9 Conclusions
• 9.1 Introduction
• 9.2 A combined perspective: children's rights and developmental psychology
• 9.3 Requirements for effective participation
• 9.4 General characteristics and the main actors
• 9.4.1 Three general characteristics
• 1. Age limits
• 2 Juvenile justice and child protection
• 3 The inquisitorial and the adversarial legal tradition
• 9.4.2 The main actors in the juvenile justice system
• 9.5 To what extent are the requirements for effective participation met?
• 9.5.1 Hearing juvenile defendants' views
• 1. Setting
• 2. Conversation techniques
• 3. Hearing juveniles' views
• 4. Genuine interest
• 5. Hearing parents' views
• 9.5.2 Juvenile defendants' understanding
• 1. Explanations
• 2. Judicial jargon
• 3. Judgment
• 4. Understanding the consequences
• 9.6 Best practices
• 9.7 Concluding remarks: suggestions for the juvenile justice practice
• 9.7.1 What is the importance of the setting for effective participation?
• 1. Attire of professionals
• 2. Space
• 3. Physical position
• 9.7.2 Is effective participation possible in the adversarial youth court?
• 9.7.3 Does an independent judge contribute to effective participation?
• 9.7.4 What is the importance of legal representation for effective participation?
• 9.7.5 Directions for the future
• Bibliography
• Appendices
• Samenvatting
• Biography
• Publications