The governance, direction and management of the International Juvenile Justice Observatory is coordinated through its Governing Board, which is composed of: Chairman, Secretary and Board Members. The Governing Board is the highest body of the Observatory, and its members are appointed and dismissed by agreement of the Board of Trustees of Fundación Diagrama, which also appoints its Chairman and Secretary. These positions are held without remuneration.
The main duties of the Board are as follows:
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To work towards the achievement of the Observatory’s objectives, proposing any plan, programme or action that it considers to be of interest.
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To promote connections between the Observatory and other people and institutions.
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To present the Board of Trustees of Fundación Diagrama with all proposals or matters that are considered to be of special relevance for the achievement of the Observatory’s objectives.
Currently, the Governing Board of the IJJO is composed of:
Chairman
Dr. Francisco Legaz Cervantes
More informationLess informationFrancisco Legaz Cervantes holds a doctorate in Psychology from the University of Valencia (Spain). He has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) and undergraduate studies in Philosophy and Education Sciences at Comillas Pontifical University (Spain). He also holds a degree in Theology from the Faculty of Theology of Granada (Spain).
He is a specialist in Clinical Psychology certified by the Ministry of Education and Science (Spain), completed a postgraduate degree in Clinical Psychology at the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) and is a psychotherapy expert accredited by EuroPsy (European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations). He is also a specialist in Forensic Psychology and Criminology certified by Pericial Corporativa (Spain), has a postgraduate degree in Security Sciences and Criminology from the University San Antonio of Murcia (Spain) and in Security Management from the Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid (Spain).
In addition, he is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), the European Society of Criminology (ESC), the International Association of Youth and Family Judges and Magistrates (IAYFJM), the European Association for Forensic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychology and other involved Professions (EFCAP), and the European Prison Education Association (EPEA).
A civil servant in the Spanish public administration, currently on leave of absence, he began his career in different areas of psychosocial intervention, focusing his work over the past thirty years on educational, psychological, social and health-related services. He has always been motivated by the development of systems that promote collaboration and the sharing of experience and knowledge.
After many years leading diverse psychosocial intervention projects, in 2002 he created the International Juvenile Justice Observatory (Belgium), reflecting his firm commitment to the promotion of universal human rights and freedoms.
As the founding Chairman of the International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO), he has promoted a wide range of initiatives and innovative approaches in the field of juvenile justice favouring the comprehensive development and inclusion of minors and young people at risk of social exclusion. In this context he has worked with closely with organisations and entities at international, state, regional and local level.
With an outstanding contribution in the field of research and training, he has coordinated and directed numerous training activities, scientific events and publications on a national and international level.
In addition, he has been decorated by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation with the Officer Cross of the Isabel la Católica Order, by the Spanish Ministry of Justice with the Second Class Distinguished Cross of the San Raimundo de Peñafort Order, and by the Ministry of the Interior of Spain with the Cross of Police Merit with White Badge. He has also been awarded the Global Youth Humanitarian Award from the Thai Ministry of Justice, and has been made a Doctor Honoris Causa by the National University of Trujillo (Peru).
Secretary
Raquel Hernández Jiménez
More informationLess informationRaquel Hernández studied at the School of Business Studies at the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) and holds the European Certificate in Community Enterprise from the University of East London (England).
She is an outstanding professional in administrative management, specialising in international secretarial work for non-profit organisations, with more than 20 years of experience in this sector. Throughout her career, she has played a crucial role in Fundación Diagrama, providing organisational, strategic and administrative management support to the executive team.
In 2010, she started to combine her work at Fundación Diagrama with regular involvement with the International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO), providing support in the management of its international agenda and in the organisation of study visits, conferences, and events. In 2024, she was appointed secretary of its Executive Board, assuming key responsibilities such as carrying out and supervising administrative management, convening and organising both regular and special meetings, and drafting the corresponding minutes.
Board Members
Dra. Natalia García Guilabert
More informationLess informationNatalia García Guilabert holds a PhD in Criminology from the University of Murcia (Spain), a Master’s in the Methodology of Behavioural and Health Sciences from the National University of Distance Education (UNED, Spain), and a Bachelor’s in Criminology from the University of Alicante (Spain).
In 2014, she joined Fundación Diagrama, where she has mainly worked in the field of juvenile justice, developing projects for young people in conflict with the law. Alongside these activities, she has also taught various subjects related to Criminology to undergraduate and master’s students at a number of universities, and is currently an associate lecturer at the Miguel Hernández University in Alicante (Spain) as well as a collaborating lecturer at the Open University of Catalonia (Spain) and the University of Valencia (Spain).
She has extensive technical experience in developing and coordinating research projects at both a national and European level, addressing different areas of Criminology, including juvenile delinquency, youth gangs, school bullying, cybercrime, procedural justice, restorative justice, and the assessment of the risk of recidivism.
The results of her research activities have been reflected in her participation as a speaker at over 70 major national and international conferences, courses, seminars, and symposia, as well as in her scientific articles, monographs, book chapters, technical reports, and other publications for knowledge dissemination.
Board Members
Dr. José Ramón López López
More informationLess informationJosé Ramón López López holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a PhD in Psychopathology and Antisocial Behaviour in Adolescence from the University of Murcia (Spain). He is also a specialist in psychotherapy, accredited by the Specialist European Awarding Committee in Psychotherapy (S-EAC PT) and the Spanish Federation of Psychotherapist Associations (FEAT).
He joined Fundación Diagrama in 1999 as an educator and later as a psychologist, focusing his professional activity on intervention with young people and adults with addiction issues. His experience has contributed to the development of this intervention area within Fundación Diagrama, which he has coordinated since 2015. In this role, he has actively participated in the implementation of prevention and rehabilitation programmes, both in penitentiary settings and in the context of child protection and juvenile justice. In this way, he has contributed to supplementing educational intervention with a specific approach that focuses on dual pathology and raising awareness of risk behaviours.
Throughout his time at Fundación Diagrama, he has written, participated in and coordinated numerous publications that specialise in these subjects. He has also been a speaker at several congresses, conferences and seminars, and has collaborated with various universities and professional associations in both the initial and specialised training of professionals who carry out intervention work in social services.
Board Members
Dr. Jorge Montesó Ventura
More informationLess informationJorge Montesó Ventura holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the Universitat Jaume I in Castellón (Spain) as well as a specialist degree in Clinical and Health Psychology from the University of Valencia (Spain), alongside a Bachelor’s degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology and a PhD in Philosophical Anthropology from the National University of Distance Education (UNED, Spain).
He has dedicated part of his academic work at the University of Valencia to research, orientated in particular towards the study of affectivity from a phenomenological perspective. This research runs parallel to the work he has carried out in the field of social intervention regarding the care of children and adolescents.
He joined Fundación Diagrama in 2005 as a social educator, later holding the position of coordinator. In 2010, he went on to coordinate the Programme for Community-based Judicial Measures of the Autonomous Community of Valencia, up until his appointment as Territorial Director in Catalonia in 2018. It was during this period that he began his collaboration with the IJJO, participating in seminars and study visits hosted by entities associated with the Observatory.
In 2023, he joined Diagrama’s National Directorate of Socio-educational Intervention, where he is currently in charge of the Psychosocial Innovation Area.
Board Members
Amparo Pozo Martínez
More informationLess informationAmparo Pozo Martínez holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a specialisation in Clinical Psychology and a postgraduate degree in Psychology Research from the National University of Distance Education (Spain), as well as a postgraduate degree in Security Sciences and Criminology from the Universidad Católica San Antonio in Murcia (Spain).
She is currently a collaborating lecturer for the Master’s degree in Legal Psychology and Forensic Psychological Expertise at the University of Valencia (Spain), as well as for the Master’s degree in Criminal Investigation and Forensic Sciences at the University of Alicante (Spain).
In 2004, she joined Fundación Diagrama as a psychologist, assisting children and young people in conflict with the law. In 2010, she went on to apply this experience in direct intervention work to the development of Diagrama’s educational projects as the coordinator of the Socio-educational Technical Department, a role that she continues to carry out today.
Her professional activity has led her to collaborate in numerous studies and research projects at both a national and European level, with the aim of improving the methodology of psychosocial intervention with vulnerable people, as well as implementing innovative approaches to intervention, and guaranteeing the best interests of children and adolescents. Her work has also been featured in several publications and specialised articles that have contributed to the dissemination of best practices in the fields of child protection and juvenile justice.
Board Members
Juan Francisco Rubio García
More informationLess informationJuan Francisco Rubio García holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Jaén (Spain), as well as from the International University of La Rioja (Spain). He has also a graduate expert certificate in Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Justice and holds a Master’s degree in Educational Intervention in Social Contexts from the National University of Distance Education (UNED, Spain).
In 2003, he joined Fundación Diagrama as a social educator, working with young people in conflict with the law. Following this, he held the positions of coordinator, deputy director and director in the youth justice field for several years. He is a member of the Territorial Directorate of Andalusia and Melilla, where he coordinates the work that is carried out in the different centres and programmes managed by Fundación Diagrama in that region. This experience has led him to collaborate on the development and implementation of research projects and psychosocial intervention methodologies at an international level, especially in the United Kingdom.
Between 2013 and 2016, he represented Fundación Diagrama on the Board of Directors of the Spanish Children’s Rights Coalition (Plataforma de Infancia de España). Additionally, he has been vice-president and is currently secretary general of the Andalusian Platform of Children’s Organisations (Plataforma de Organizaciones de Infancia de Andalucía).