Outline of Existing Juvenile Justice System in the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (From Report for 1983 and Resource Material Series Number 25, P 115-121, 1984)

• NCJ Number: 99091
• Author(s): U T Aung
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Language: English
• Country: United Nations

Annotation

This paper outlines the development of Burma's juvenile code and juvenile justice system, describes the structure of the juvenile court and juvenile procedures, and discusses the boys training schools as well as the juvenile probation service.

Abstract

A historic review of Burma's juvenile justice system traces it to the British and outlines the centerpiece of the juvenile justice code, the Children's Act of 1955, which provides for juvenile delinquency prevention, the rehabilitation of juvenile offenders, and sanctions for adult behavior detrimental to the moral character of youth. Each juvenile court is composed of three members, one of whom must be a woman. Although the court determines guilt or innocence, its dispositions focus upon the needs of the offender rather than the severity of the offense. Young offenders with stable family backgrounds are often cautioned by the police without further processing. If a juvenile is deemed to be without proper parental or guardian supervision, the court may commit the juvenile to a training school. The court may sentence juveniles to probation, relying heavily upon the social inquiry report of a probation officer. Burma's socialist philosophy emphasizes the state's role in ensuring the maintenance, care, and upbringing of children. Boys training schools, along with their capacities and resident classifications, are listed; the appendix presents tabular data on Burma's trends in juvenile delinquency and antisocial behavior.