Several countries in the CEE/CIS Region report an increase in the
arrest, detention and sentencing of children in conflict with the
law, interventions that are often arbitrary and sometimes even illegal.
Inadequate juvenile justice systems are a real concern across the
region. The legacy of communist rule—a reliance on central
planning and decision-making and repressive practices—continues
to guide policies and systems, including heavy use of institutions
for children with social and behaviour problems.
Deprivation of liberty is the main approach used for children in
conflict with the law. In contrast to the situation of children in
residential care, protection in detention has been on the international
agenda for many decades. Children in detention often suffer violations
of their basic rights. They can be deprived of their liberty for
long periods in pre-detention. Moreover, sentences are often severe,
even for petty crimes, and violate the international standard that
deprivation of liberty should be a measure of last resort and for
the shortest period of time. In CEE/CIS, children deprived of their
liberty are sometimes below the age of criminal responsibility, kept
in facilities with adult offenders, subjected to maltreatment and
violence, and denied basic social services while in detention. The
fact that these children are often not allowed to maintain contact
with parents or given the legal assistance that is their right is
also of serious concern.
Regional resources on Juvenile justice
