NCJ Number
229636
Date Published
2010
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This chapter identifies areas in youth justice policy where the United Kingdom, which ratified the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), has failed to comply with and/or implement CRC mandates.
Abstract
After a government has ratified the CRC, it must report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child at 5-year intervals, indicating how it is applying the CRC's provisions within domestic law, policy, and practice. The committee then issues a series of "concluding observations" about each country's record of compliance or violation. Regarding the committee's "concluding observations" in its 2008 report on the United Kingdom, it stated, "The Committee regrets that the principle of the best interest of the child is still not reflected as a primary consideration in all legislative and policy matters affecting children, especially in the area of juvenile justice, immigration, and freedom of movement and peaceful assembly" (U.N. Committee 2008:7). This assessment focused on five core issues. These are identified and discussed in this chapter. The five areas are intolerance toward and criminalization of the antisocial behavior of youth; failure to use custody of youth as a last resort; the inhumane and degrading treatment of disadvantaged children; extension of the powers of the police to deny children and youth freedom of movement in their neighborhoods; and the failure to protect children's privacy by keeping their DNA data in the National DNA Database, whether or not a child is ultimately charged or found guilty. 19 references