Last resort, dignity and re-integration
Productgroep Rechten van het kind in (inter)nationaal perspectiefOmschrijving
Why is ‘best interests of the child’ rarely used in regard to matters of juvenile justice? Article 3 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is crystal clear: “In all actions concerning children […] the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.” This mandate of international human rights law could be, should be, the standard which is infused with dynamic content through litigation, holdings of international enforcement bodies, and rule-making. This article addresses the urgent question: What are the most critical elements of ‘best interests of the child’ for children in conflict with the law? And subsequently, how is this meaning to become recognized and developed as a global set of minimum standards and practice in juvenile justice?
