PRI Launches a Ten-Point Plan for Fair and Effective Criminal Justice for Children

In December 2011, PRI launched its Ten-Point Plan for Fair and Effective Criminal Justice for Children. The Ten-Point Plan focuses on ways that law and policy makers and criminal justice practitioners can respond effectively and positively to children in contact and in conflict with the law.

The Plan outlines PRI’s belief that a fair and effective criminal justice system for children should promote the well-being of the child and react proportionately to the nature of the offence taking into account the individual characteristics of the child. It should aim to prevent crime, take decisions which are in a child’s best interests, treat children fairly and in a manner which is appropriate to their development, address the root causes of offending and rehabilitate and reintegrate children so they can play a constructive role in society in future. As far as possible it should deal with children outside of the formal criminal justice system. The Ten-Point Plan is based on relevant international instruments including the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice and the UN Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty.

To read the full Ten-Point Plan please click here