What is changing for youth offenders in Georgia?
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Georgia is establishing a special Juvenile Justice Code for people aged 18 and under so the country can provide a judicial system that meets European standards and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Georgia’s Justice Ministry have prepared the Juvenile Justice Code, which will see the country have a new institution of justice for people aged 18 years and under.
Local and international experts led by Georgia’s Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani will discuss the new Juvenile Justice Code at today's Reforms of Criminal Justice System Interagency Coordinating Council meeting.
The main changes related to the youth offender's criminal record and prison terms, Georgia’s Justice Minister emphasized.
According to the new law, youth offenders will enjoy a reduced pre-trial detention period from 60 to 40 days. A youth offender's conviction status will be removed as soon as their sentence period has finished. The period of being classed as an accused will be extended up to six months.
Changes in penalties will also take place under the new law. Life imprisonment will be replaced by house arrest; imprisonment as a form of punishment will be used only when it is strictly necessary, particularly for severe crimes where a youth is sentenced to a maximum sentence of 10-15 years inprisonment. Under the new law, life imprisonment for juveniles will be prohibited.
"We are introducing innovation. All criminal cases in Georgia involving minors will soon be handled by police officers, investigators, prosecutors and judges who specialise in juvenile offending,” Justice Minister Tsulukiani said.
She believed this move would help Georgia’s justice system meet European standards and the requirements stipulated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
All criminal cases in Georgia involving minors will soon be handled by police officers, investigators, prosecutors and judges who specialise in juvenile offending.
Life imprisonment for juveniles is now prohibited in Georgia. The country has a new Juvenile Justice Code that meets international standards.
Today Justice Minister of Georgia Thea Tsulukiani said the youth offenders law had become a topic of conversation in eastern European countries but now western, developed countries "are also interested in our innovative approaches in this field”.
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia released statistics today reflecting the country’s supportive attitude of recent changes to Georgian legislation for youth offenders.
Georgia’s new Juvenile Justice Code is being applauded by international experts for its innovative ways to address youth crime and rehabilitate young offenders.
Georgia’s Acting Minister of Corrections Kakha Kakhishvili told Parliament that the Ministry of Corrections planned to build a new prison for young offenders aged 14-21 years, through the recommendation and support of the European Union (EU).
This year more juveniles were offered preventative sentences rather than prison terms, says Georgia’s Minister of Justice Thea Tsulukiani.
Today Georgia’s Holy Trinity Church in capital Tbilisi hosted an art exhibition of works created by Georgian female convicts and by those who have already served their sentences.
Open Society Georgia has released a report on how Georgia has fought torture and inhuman treatment in prisons over the course of the last five years.
Over 3,000 juveniles have benefited from juvenile justice reforms which have been carried out in Georgia through the joint efforts of the Georgian Justice Ministry, the EU and UNICEF since 2010.