All projects
The main value of the Project is the priority protection of children's rights in all cases when a child has already entered or is at risk of entering the Justice system and criminal contacts. In order to achieve the objectives, the Project activities are divided into 4 work streams: 1. European field study, researchers from 5 European countries gather the examples of innovative methods, tools and practices in their countries to share the experience among the specialists from Europe; the study includes 2 steps: the analysis of rights and practice in European countries (UK, Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) and the result analysis from the pilot projects activities; 2. Implementation of best practices and tools (specialists develop networks during the Project to strengthen the understanding of each good practice, tool or method from the European field study and decide on implementing them in the pilot places); 3. Three pilot projects implement the good practice, tools, methods identified by the researchers for the work with children. 4. Public education campaign (publications of research in English an Project booklet in Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian; presentations of the booklets; final conference on the Project results (Brussels, 100 participants); educational film on the course of the Project activities which will be available for public and educational use thus ensuring the sustainability of Project results).
In the axis of Citizen Security of the Eurosocial II program led by French Expertise Internationale in Paris - FEI (coordinating partner) and the International Juvenile Justice Observatory in Brussels - OIJJ (Operating Partner), works in connection with the coordination of actors in Public Safety with special emphasis on youth violence prevention. One of the participant countries in this axis is Colombia, who has expressed a demand to the development of effective measures for the prevention of juvenile delinquency in the country. The national representative of the program for this action is the National Planning Department (DNP) and the national political leader is the Ministry of Justice and Law.
The aim of the program Eurosocial II is to assists technically and methodologically to the building of inputs needed for the design of a National Policy for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency in Colombia. This policy derives expressly from the Article No. 95 of Law No. 1453 of Public Safety. This new policy will help to strengthen inter-agency strategies to prevent youth crime in the country and to advance its reduction. Finally, new policy will be also complemented with other social policies and national and local plans that cater to the demands of the national youth population in Colombia
In this context it provides the realization of the International Forum, for which it has also had the important support of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare - ICBF (national headquarters) and the German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ in Colombia. This scenario will join national efforts of a previous process of identifying good practices at the country level and will be socialized during the Forum. These best practices represent an important input for the construction of a National Policy for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency in Colombia. Both, the current political and institutional commitment in Colombia as its responsiveness, are still the most suitable for the design of a coherent and effective national policy that is linked to the experiences of national, regional, and international actors, and the evidence of efficacy in prevention of youth crime.
Understanding recidivism, namely its continuity, change and cessation, can translate into important knowledge for the development of approaches focused on desistance, meaning the interruption, the decrease or the end of a delinquent career. Recidivism and desistance are therefore two associated concepts, and from this relationship could result important contributions to interventions with young offenders.
The “Reincidências - Young offenders recidivism and prevention of delinquency” project is coordinated by the Portuguese Youth Justice’s Probation Services (Direcção-Geral de Reinserção Social - DGRS). The project aims to create and implement a technical and methodological support device to enhance the work of this institution, systematically collecting data and carrying out studies to estimate young offender’s recidivism, as well as the effectiveness of the juvenile justice system in preventing crime.
Based on research methods used in the social sciences, the project is fundamentally based on two assumptions:
- That the reduction of recidivism and social adjustment levels are the most important indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of intervention within the juvenile justice system.
- That the evaluation of risk and the protection of factors associated with recidivism, with the aim of preventing re-offence, are of the utmost importance.
PLEASE GO TO THE OFFICIAL REINCIDENCIAS WEBSECTION FOR MORE CONTENT REGARDING OUTPUTS, EVENTS, ETC.
Restorative practices support a participative notion of justice that favours reintegration over retribution and punishment. As such, by investing in the youths´ bond to the community and in a process that stimulates assumption of responsibility, restorative practices may prove particularly appropriate to integrate the best interest of the child in the justice process.
Led by the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, this ambitious European project aims at promoting fostering programmes as an alternative to detention for children waiting for their trial or sentence as well as for those found guilty of offences sufficiently serious to warrant custody. As a matter of fact, fostering is one of the many alternatives to custody quoted by Article 40 of the UNCRC; yet, its use remains exeptional throughout Europe.
Project members aims at first drafting an overview of inspiring fostring practices implemented within the European Union before developing a comprehensive step-by-step multi-agency framework for an Intensive and Remand Fostering Programme. The protocol of intervention will include a training programme and briefing documents designed to be effective tools for multi-agency networks, in particular foster carers, fostering and youth justice staff, criminal justice and police personnel , with proposed core minimum standards, guidelines, practical tools procedures and information designed for young people.
Contributing to the European desk analysis of fostering programmes throughout Europe and thus bringing a widespread European perspective to this project, the IJJO hopes to take this particular collaboration as an opportunity to foster aternatives to custody in all their diversity, notably before national and European decision-makers via advocacy campaigns, lobbying and other media stunts.