Organization ,,Young Barristers “ asks the Government of Georgia to represent the draft law on Juvenile Justice Code to the Parliament of Georgia in accelevated terms and assesses positively the initiative,regarding the replacement of resourse officers with child security officers in educational schools.
According to „Young Barristers“ lawyer,Salome Goglidze,Juvenile justice reform in this regard,corresponds to exsisting international experience and is in line with European standarts.With the new regulations,Georgian judicial system is very close to implementation international standarts,recognized by the Convention on the Rights of the Child,although a big deal of attention must be payed on the sircumtance,that specialized police officers,investigators, prosecutors and judges,who are going to participate in the cases involving minors,should be trained on time. Main principle, that is brought through the new code ,above all, is individual approach, based on the best interest of a minor. Besides,for the code one of the priorities is using diversion and mediation program.Athough while discussing the issue,it is important to consider the risks,so that in the process of diversion no such responsibility was imposed on the miner,that can privent his education.
By „young Barristers“ appraisal,it is importanat,that sufficient arguments and new regulations were formed,regargind the possible disclosure of personal data of minors under the age of 16.As the Code considers this opportunity with minor’s concent,there may be certain risk that minor is not able to properly aknowledge what kind of information hi/she makes public,and this may affect minor’s social status.Organization also assesses,that one more record of the draft law need some clarification:who and in what sircumtances can the special measures be used towards minors in penitentiary establishment.We think that special regulations in this field should exist.
By ,,Young Barristers“ appraisal,the main achievement of the project are the principles of “blank page” and “second chance”.We believe,that amedments will have only positive effects and will facilitate for minors the period spent in penitentiary establishment, it will as well be an important step in the field of their re-socialization.We also welcome the decision of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia,regarding the replacement of resourse officers with child security officers ,thar will serve as a contributive factor in the implementation process of the new Code.Child security officers’s duty is radically different from that of the child resourse officers’,meaning that they will be highly qualified stuff and there main responsibility will be to defend the child in and out of school.
