Strengthening Juvenile Justice Systems in the counter-terrorism context: Capacity-building and peer-learning among stakeholders

Scope
European Union
Keywords
Adolescent
Conduct
Research
Description

As the European agenda and recent events demonstrate, the issues of radicalisation and violent extremism, which may be conducive to terrorism, have increasingly become a priority for most Member States. However,  in the midst of the rush to enact counter-terrorism legislation at national and European levels, little if any consideration has been given to the fact that some of the suspected or alleged ‘terrorists’ could be children or underage juveniles. In consequence, the project “Strengthening Juvenile Justice Systems in the counter-terrorism context: Capacity-building and peer-learning among stakeholders” (JUST-2015-JCOO-AG-TERR) aims to address juveniles’ unique situation and their protection under international and European law in the context of counter-terrorism. The project launches in October 2016 and is expected to end approximately in September 2018.

Objetives

This project aims at identifying, promoting and strengthening juvenile justice systems’ policy responses and specialised programming to face terrorism and violent extremism in juveniles. Practices will be evaluated based on evidence and on their efficacy in countering radicalisation in children and juveniles. In order to accomplish that, the IJJO, which has acquired thorough knowledge and experience in the field, will work with partners from Member States which face the issue of radicalisation and terrorism acutely, as well as with members of the European Council for Juvenile Justice. Moreover, the participation of young people will ensure that their views are adequately taken into account.

The specific objectives of the project are:

  • To gather information, evidence and lessons learned from promising and validated policies, programmes and practices concerning terrorism and violent extremism in juveniles within 6 European juvenile justice systems;
  • To analyse public policies responses and programmes aiming to prevent and treat violent radicalisation of juveniles through the implementation of adapted measures for children in detention, and of social reintegration programmes identified through the research;
  • To participate in the development of effective community-based alternatives and diversion measures concerning rehabilitation programmes for radicalised children in partners’ States.
  • To stimulate, promote and develop validated practices to be used by juvenile justice systems in the de-radicalisation, disengagement and rehabilitation of boys and girls and young adults;
  • To disseminate knowledge through the creation and monitoring of an Online Community of Practice, and to make use of the received feedback to improve the discussed practices.
  • To disseminate policy-oriented recommendations, lessons learned, and guidelines for EU institutions, national agencies, and judicial staff and practitioners at the European level.
Results
  • Identified and mapped-out policy responses, as well as promising experiences carried out by EUMS in the handling of the terrorist threat, preventing radicalisation and implementing de-radicalisation strategies.
  • Promotion of a regional dialogue and knowledge sharing within policy-makers and practitioners.
  • Improvement of national criminal policies and programmes in juvenile justice systems and more efficient judicial counter-terrorism policies directed at juvenile suspects.
  • Improvement of the capacities and the knowledge of juvenile justice professionals to face extremist phenomena and implement effective responses.
  • Improvement and tailor-made programming to risk factors and individual circumstances of radicalised or at risk boys, girls and juveniles.
  • Promotion of evidence-based policy-making and of specialisation in the design and implementation of new policies and programming on counter-terrorism and radicalisation.
  • Enhancement of social integration and reinsertion of radicalised juveniles.
Partners

Coordinator:

Partners: