Court support workers speak out: Upholding children’s rights in the criminal justice system

The prevalence of sexual offences against children in South Africa continues to be among the highest in the world. The quality and accuracy of a child’s testimony is often pivotal to whether cases are prosecuted, and whether justice is done. Child witness programmes assist child victims of sexual abuse to prepare to give consistent, coherent and accurate testimony, and also attempt to ensure that the rights of the child are upheld as enshrined in the various laws, legislative frameworks, directives and instructions that have been introduced since 1994. We draw on information from two studies that sought the perspectives of court support workers to explore whether a child rights-based approach is followed in the criminal justice system (CJS) for child victims of sexual abuse. Findings suggest varying degrees of protection, assistance and support for child victims of sexual abuse during participation in the CJS. The findings revealed that the rights of children to equality, dignity and not to be treated or punished in a cruel, inhuman or degrading way were undermined in many instances. Finally, recommendations are given on ways to mitigate the harsh effects that adversarial court systems have on children’s rights.

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Sejarah Sistem Peradilan Pidana Anak Di Indonesia

JISIP (Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Pendidikan) ◽

10.36312/jisip.v4i4.1398 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Yory Fernando

Keyword(s):

Criminal Justice ◽

Criminal Justice System ◽

Justice System ◽

Children's Rights ◽

International Community ◽

Children’S Rights ◽

Rights Of The Child ◽

Strategic Role ◽

History Of ◽

Legal Subjects

As national assets and who are also legal subjects, children have a strategic role in the life of the nation and state. Because of this strategic role, every problem regarding children cannot be underestimated. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is proof that the international community guarantees children’s rights. In Indonesia, the rights of the child have been stated in Act No. 11/2012 concerning the Juvenile Criminal Justice System. However, these regulations do not just appear, it needs a long enough process to form regulations that guarantee the interests and rights of a child. The history of the formation of the Child Criminal Justice System is divided into 3 periods, namely; The period before the birth of Law Number 3 of 1997, the period after the birth of Act No. 3/1997, and the period after the birth of Act No. 11/2012. It can be concluded from these three periods that before the birth of Act No. 11/2012, there have been several regulations governing the interests of children but their implementation is far from perfect, and the birth of Act No. 11/2012 is a milestone that has brought major changes to ensuring children's rights in Indonesia.

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Perlindungan Hukum Terhadap Anak Sebagai Penyalahguna Narkotika (Studi Putusan Nomor 44/Pid.Sus-Anak/2019/Pn.Mdn)

Journal of Education, Humaniora and Social Sciences (JEHSS) ◽

10.34007/jehss.v4i2.773 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 938-946

Author(s):

Sri Wahyuni ◽

Marlina Marlina ◽

Rizkan Zulyadi

Keyword(s):

Criminal Justice ◽

Criminal Justice System ◽

Justice System ◽

Research Method ◽

Legal Protection ◽

Children's Rights ◽

Children’S Rights ◽

District Court ◽

Approach Method ◽

Examination Process

The spread of narcotics which has spread to various levels of society and remote villages has reached children whose thinking abilities are still low. In the decision of the panel of judges not to apply diversion which refers to Article 12, Article 52 paragraph (5) of Law Number 11 of 2012 concerning the Juvenile Criminal Justice System. This study aims to determine the legal protection of children as narcotics abusers. The research method used is a normative juridical research with analytical descriptive character. The approach method used in this research is the case approach to the statutory approach which is carried out by examining the provisions of the applicable legislation. The analysis was carried out qualitatively. The results of the study indicate that the legal protection carried out against children as narcotics abusers in Indonesia based on Law No. 11 of 2012 concerning the Juvenile Criminal Justice System has been regulated starting from the process of investigation, arrest, detention, prosecution, examination in court and correctional. The Medan District Court has tried to carry out the legal protection process for children as narcotics abusers by referring to Law No. 11 of 2012 concerning the Juvenile Criminal Justice System. Juvenile Judges seek to realize the legal protection process by fulfilling children's rights during the examination process, as well as seeking settlement of cases through diversion. However, the efforts of juvenile judges in the legal protection process for children are still not maximized.

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HAK ANAK DALAM SISTEM PERADILAN PIDANA ANAK DI INDONESIA

Negara dan Keadilan ◽

10.33474/hukum.v9i1.7626 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 91

Author(s):

Ramdani Ramdani

Keyword(s):

Criminal Justice ◽

Criminal Justice System ◽

Child Protection ◽

Justice System ◽

Juvenile Justice System ◽

Legal Protection ◽

Children's Rights ◽

Children’S Rights ◽

Best Interests ◽

Literature Study

Penelitian ini membahas tentang “Hak Anak Dalam Sistem Peradilan Pidana Anak di Indonesia”. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengentahui, menganalisis dan membahasn konsep serta bentuk dari hak anak dalam sistem peradilan pidana anak di Indonesia. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian normativ dengan menggunakan pendekatan studi kepustakaan dengan menelaah, meneliti dan mengkaji perundang-undangan yang membahas tentang hak anak baik secara konsep maupun bentuk. Hasil dari penelitian ini secara garis besar dapat disimpulkan bahwa anak dalam dalam perkara pidana mendapat jaminan perlindungan hukum dalam berbagai bentuk seperti jaminan keselamatan baik fisik, mental maupun sosial dan memiliki akses terhadap informasi mengenai perkembangan perkara. Anak harus mendapatkan haknya berdasarkan kepentingan terbaik anak penghargaan terhadap anak. Jaminan perlindungan yang didapat tidak hanya dari Undang-undang No 11 tahun 2012 tentang sistem peradilan pidana anak namun juga dari Undang-undang No 13 tahun 2006 tentang perlindungan saksi dan korban. Negara dalam hal ini pemerintah dan aparatur penyelenggara memperhatikan implementasi yang efektif dengan pertimbangan kepentingan terbaik anak.Kata kunci: Sistem peradilan pidana anak, perlindungan anak, hak anakThis research discusses "Children's Rights in the Child Criminal Justice System in Indonesia". This study aims to identify, analyze and discuss the concepts and forms of children's rights in the juvenile justice system in Indonesia. This research is a normative study using a literature study approach by examining, researching and examining laws that discuss children's rights both in concept and form. The results of this study can be broadly concluded that children in criminal cases receive legal protection guarantees in various forms such as safety guarantees both physically, mentally and socially and have access to information regarding case developments. Children must get their rights based on the best interests of the child and respect for the child. The guarantee of protection is obtained not only from Law No. 11 of 2012 concerning the juvenile criminal justice system but also from Law No. 13 of 2006 concerning the protection of witnesses and victims. The state in this case the government and the apparatus organizers pay attention to effective implementation with consideration of the best interests of children.Keywords: Child criminal justice system, child protection, children's rights

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Diversion, Rights and Social Justice

Youth Justice ◽

10.1177/1473225420902845 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 147322542090284 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Roger Smith

Keyword(s):

Social Justice ◽

Criminal Justice ◽

Young People ◽

Criminal Justice System ◽

Justice System ◽

Children's Rights ◽

The Other ◽

Delinquent Behaviour ◽

Justice Model ◽

The One

This article draws on historical understandings and contemporary models of diversion in order to develop a critical framework and agenda for progressive practice. The argument essentially revolves around the contention that typically diversionary interventions have been constrained by the contextual and ideological frames within which they operate. They have in some cases been highly successful in reducing the numbers of young people being drawn into the formal criminal justice system; however, this has largely been achieved pragmatically, by way of an accommodation with the prevailing logic of penal practices. Young people have been diverted at least partly because they have been ascribed a lesser level of responsibility for their actions, whether by virtue of age or other factors to which their delinquent behaviour is attributed. This ultimately sets limits to diversion, on the one hand, and also offers additional legitimacy to the further criminalisation of those who are not successfully ‘diverted’, on the other. By contrast, the article concludes that a ‘social justice’ model of diversion must ground its arguments in principles of children’s rights and the values of inclusion and anti-oppressive practice.

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Penyelesaian Perkara Anak Sebagai Pelaku dan Korban Ditinjau Dari Asas Kepentingan Terbaik Bagi Anak

SASI ◽

10.47268/sasi.v26i2.306 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 201

Author(s):

Hadibah Zachra Wadjo ◽

Elias Zadrach Leasa ◽

Denny Latumaerissa ◽

Judy Marria Saimima

Keyword(s):

Criminal Justice ◽

Human Resources ◽

Criminal Justice System ◽

Justice System ◽

Research Method ◽

Children's Rights ◽

Best Interests ◽

Criminal Offense ◽

Women And Children ◽

The Law

In reality, specifically for the principle of the best interests of children who are accommodated in the Aanak Criminal Justice System Act not yet maximized to be applied in cases of children who are dealing with the law both against children as perpetrators and children as victims, which in the settlement of losses suffered by children as a victim of a criminal offense, it has not been concretely felt. Based on the explanation above, the problem that the writer wants to analyze is Is the settlement of the case of children considering the best interests of the child as the perpetrator and the child as the victim? Constraints in fulfilling the best interests principle for children as perpetrators and children as victims. The research method used is a type of empirical juridical research. The results showed that the fulfillment of the best interests of children in the case of children in conflict with the law must be supported by all relevant stakeholders so that children's rights can be implemented at all stages of the case inspection in accordance with the mandate of the Aanak Criminal Justice System Law and the Law related, it is not enough there, the fulfillment of the best interests must also continue to be supported back to the community. Obstacles in fulfilling the best interests of cases of children in conflict with the law, namely the lack of investigators for the protection of women and children, inadequate facilities or infrastructure, human resources both for women and children protection investigators and for assisting victims who are not yet qualified, lack of budget in case settlement children in conflict with the law.

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