Juvenile status offenses; effective or harmful? (Considering The US and English Juvenile Justice Systems)

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Law, Faculty of law, political science and history, yazd university, yazd. iran.

Abstract

Status offenses are considered legal for adults based on a global criterion. Although the most important examples of status are truancy, running away from home, breaking curfew, incorrigibility and  the consumption of alcoholic beverages and drugs, the scope of criminalization might be tied with the cultural and societal spheres of societies. Applying comparative research method, this research describes advanced juvenile justice models of the US and England based on famous approaches of welfare and justice to find the consequences of de/criminalization and analyses the Islamic Penal Code of 1392, Juvenile Protection Act of 1399 and disperse welfare regulations and judicial practices in Iran to identify the nature of these deviances and patterns to respond them. Based on the research results, welfare-based approach with its capacity to suit with various circumstances may be effective in decriminalization, prevention of recidivism and future delinquencies, decrease in the dispenses and sustain of solidarity of the family. In the Iranian law some of these situations have been included in treatment approach and some have criminal description according to disperse provisions and the Juvenile Protection Act. The legislative requirement of articles 3 and 5 of the later Act on treatment approach, alongside with capacities of the Islamic Penal Code can be effective in formation and development of treatment approach. Accordingly, the legislative body should adduce to practice maker bylaws, alongside training judges to provide the context of executing article 6 of the Act and its executive Bylaw. Such act would not negate the duty of the legislature to amend Article 91 with consideration of Islamic jurisprudence and legal aspects.

Keywords

Main Subjects


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