assessment of juvenile justice reform ... justice reform achievements...assessment of juvenile...

ASSESSMENT OF JUVENILE

JUSTICE REFORM ACHIEVEMENTS

IN ARMENIA

UNICEF Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe/Commonwealth of Independent States

January 2010

ASSESSMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM ACHIEVEMENTS IN ARMENIA

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CONTENTS

Note on the Assessment Mission ........................................................................................................................................................................................................3

Background ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4

Executive Summary ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7

PART I. The Process of Juvenile Justice Reform .............................................................................................................................................................9

1) Policyandadvocacy ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................9

2) Lawreform .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................9

3) Administrativereform/restructuring ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10

4) Allocationofresources ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................11

5) Trainingandcapacity-building .........................................................................................................................................................................................11

6) Accountabilitymechanisms ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 12

7) Coordination ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 13

8) Dataandresearch ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13

PART II. The Juvenile Justice System in Armenia .................................................................................................................................................... 14

1) Prevention ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14

2) Thedetentionandinterrogationofsuspects ............................................................................................................................................... 15

3) Detentionpriortoandduringtrial .............................................................................................................................................................................. 18

4) Diversionandrestorativejustice .................................................................................................................................................................................20

5) Adjudicationandsentencing .............................................................................................................................................................................................22

6) Therehabilitationofconvictedjuveniles ..........................................................................................................................................................24

7) Youngerchildreninvolvedincriminalactivity ...........................................................................................................................................26

PART III. UNICEF’s Support to Juvenile Justice Reform .................................................................................................................................. 31

PART IV. Conclusions and Recommendations ...............................................................................................................................................................33

POSITIVEDEVELOPMENTS .............................................................................................................................................................................................................33

CHALLENGES .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................35

RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................38

Annex 1. Data collection and analysis .......................................................................................................................................................................................43

Annex 2. List of persons interviewed ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 47

Annex 3. List of documents consulted .....................................................................................................................................................................................49

Annex 4. Juvenile Justice in Armenia: Perspective of Children in Conflict With the Law (AST/ OSCE) ................................................................................. 51


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The juvenile justice system has two aims: fighting crime, and ensuring the normal development of the personality of offenders. We must fight crime in a way that does not damage the individual. Proper treatment helps prevent crime; mistreatment encourages aggressiveness.

– Deputy Head, General Investigative Department, Police of the Republic of Armenia

Freedom is not about being inside or outside walls. It is about being able to live as an individual.

– Director of Trtu, an NGO working with offenders in the juvenile prison

Note on the Assessment Mission

The assessment mission took place from 7 to 18 September 2009. The team consisted of DanO’Donnell, internationalconsultant,andLilitPetrosyan,nationalconsultant.SupportwasprovidedbyHaykKhemchyanofUNICEFArmenia.

TheassessmentteaminterviewedtheDeputyMinisterofJusticeandrepresentativesofthePrisonDepartment;representativesoftheMinistryofForeignAffairs,theMinistryofEducationandScienceand the Ministry of Labour and Social Issues; a representative of the Judicial Department of thePolice of the Republic of Armenia (‘Police of RA’); the Deputy Heads of the Juvenile DepartmentandtheGeneralInvestigativeDepartmentofthePoliceofRA;theHeadsoftheJudicialSchool,theProsecutor’s School and the Law Institute (which trains prison staff); and a representative of thePoliceAcademy.

The team also met with the Head of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights andPublicAffairsoftheNationalAssembly;twotrialcourtjudges;astaffmemberoftheHumanRightsDefender;thePresidentoftheNationalBarAssociation;theHeadofthePublicDefender’sOffice;thePresident and another member of the Group of Public Observers Conducting Public Monitoring ofPenitentiaryInstitutionsandBodiesoftheMinistryofJusticeoftheRepublicofArmenia(hereafterreferredtoas‘PrisonMonitoringGroup’);amemberoftheGroupofPublicObserversattheDetentionFacilitiesofthePoliceSystem(hereafterreferredtoas‘PoliceMonitoringGroup’);alawyerinprivatepractice;andrepresentativesofsixnationalorinternationalNGOs.

Visitsweremadetothejuvenilecorrectionalfacilityandthejuvenilesectionofthepretrialdetentionfacility,apolicedetentioncentre,two‘schoolsforchildrenwithantisocialbehaviour’,theChildren’sSupport Centre (formerly a ‘reception and distribution’ centre), the Guardianship and TrusteeshipCouncilandtheCommunityJusticeCentreinVanadzor(Lorimarz).

MeetingsalsowereheldwiththeOrganizationforSecurityandCo-operationinEurope(OSCE)andthe American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA/ROLI). The last day of the assessmentmission, the teamdebriefed representativesofmanyof theministries,agenciesandorganizationsmentionedabove.

Thelistsofpersonsinterviewedanddocumentsconsultedareattached(seeAnnexes2and3).


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Background

Armenia became independent of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1991.The constitution adopted in 1995 was replaced in 2005. Armenia is a presidential republic with aunicamerallegislature,theNationalAssembly,andaunitaryState,dividedinto10marzes(provinces).

Thetotalpopulationisapproximately3million,ofwhichsome26percentareunderage18.1Ofthe2millionpeoplewho live inurbanareas,morethan1million live in thecapital.2Thepopulation isalmost98percentArmenianand95percentApostolicChristian.The largestethnic, religiousandlinguisticminorityaretheYezide/Kurds,whomakeup1.2percentofthepopulation.3

ArmeniaisafoundingmemberoftheCommonwealthof IndependentStates. It joinedtheOSCEin1992and theCouncilofEurope in2001. It becameaParty to theEuropeanConventiononHumanRightsin2002.

TheEuropeanUnionArmeniaPartnershipandCooperationAgreement(PCA)entered intoforceon1July1999.4TheEuropeanUnionArmeniaActionPlancalls for judicial reform,prisonreformandpolicereform,butdoesnotspecificallycallforanymeasuresconcerningjuvenilejustice.5

ArmeniaaccededtotheConventionontheRightsoftheChildin1992.Article6oftheConstitutionprovides thatdulyratified treatiesarepartof thenational lawand, incaseofconflict,prevailoverlegislation.

ANationalPlanofActionfortheProtectionoftheRightsoftheChildhasbeenadopted,coveringtheyears2004–2015.TheNationalCommissionforChildProtection,establishedin2005,isresponsibleforsupervisingtheimplementationofthePlan,analysingproblemsregardingtherightsofchildrenand fosteringcooperationbetween“stategovernancebodies,public,political, scientificandotherorganizationsimplementingprotectionoftherightsandinterestsofthechild.”6TheCommissioniscomposed exclusively of high-ranking government officials and headed by the Minister of LabourandSocialIssues.

Armenia had a weak juvenile justice system at the time it became a Party to the Convention ontheRightsof theChild.Therewerenospecialized juvenile courts, although therewasan informalpractice of assigning juvenile cases to the chief judge of the relevant court. There was a JuvenilePoliceDepartmentwhosefunctionsweremainlyintheareaofpreventionandsupervisionofyoungerchildreninvolvedincrimeorantisocialbehaviour.Therewasonespecialfacilityforjuvenilesserving

1 Seehttp://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/armenia_statistics.html,accessed31January2010.

2 NationalStatisticalServiceoftheRepublicofArmenia,The Demographic Handbook of Armenia 2009,PartII,p.34,availableathttp://www.armstat.am/file/article/demos_09_2.pdf,accessed31January2010.

3 SecondreportsubmittedbyArmeniapursuanttoArticle25,paragraph1oftheFrameworkConventionfortheProtectionofNationalMinorities,CouncilofEurope,ACFC/SR/II(2004)010,2004,availableathttp://www.coe.int/t /dghl/monitoring/minorities/3_FCNMdocs/PDF_2nd_SR_Armenia_en.pdf,accessed31January2010.ThelargerAzeriminorityleftaftertheconflictthatfollowedindependence.

4 CommissionoftheEuropeanCommunities,Annexto:EuropeanNeighbourhoodPolicy(ENP),CountryReportArmenia,COM(2005)72final,Section1.1.

5 Seehttp://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/action_plans/armenia_enp_ap_final_en.pdf,accessed31January2010.TheCountryStrategyAgreement2007–2011likewisemakesnoreferencetojuvenilejustice.Seehttp://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/country/enpi_csp_armenia_en.pdf,accessed31January2010.

6 ResolutionofthePrimeMinisteroftheRepublicofArmeniaofOctober28,2005,No.835-N‘OnestablishingaNationalCommissionforChildProtection,approvingthebylawsandcompositionoftheCommission’.(ItreplacedtheNationalCommitteeonCoordinationofActivitiesrelatedtoChildren,establishedin1999.)


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sentencesandanother,withinthesamecomplex,forjuvenilesdetainedbeforetrial.Casesofyoungerchildren involved incriminalactivityandchildrenofanyage involved inantisocialbehaviourwerehandledbytheCommissionsonMinors,whohadthepowertoplacetheminclosed‘specialschools’where conditions were poor and policies repressive. Corporal punishment and physical abuse incorrectional and detention facilities were practised. There was no special legislation on juvenilejustice.

Offending by juveniles reportedly was low prior to independence. Armenia’s Initial report to theCommitteeontheRightsoftheChildstated,“thenumberofjuvenileoffencesin1989wasthelowestofanyofthe15republics”oftheUSSR.7ThesecondreporttotheCommitteeindicated,citingdatafromtheDepartment for theEnforcementofCriminalPenalties, that243offenceswerecommittedbyjuvenilesin1989and256in1990.Dataonoffendingforthefirsttwoyearsafterindependencearenotavailable,butfortherestofthedecadedatashowthatthenumberofjuvenileoffendersandthenumberofoffencescommittedby juvenilesdecreasedfrom1993to1995,peakedin1997, thenfellsharplyin1998andremainedlowfortherestofthedecade.8ThenumberofoffencesregisteredbytheGeneralInvestigativeDepartmentofthePoliceofRAinrecentyearsisevenlower.9

The number of juveniles prosecuted reportedly more than doubled during the first years afterindependence, from 134 in 1990 to 306 in 1994.10 In recent years (2005–2008), it has remainedrelativelystable,between146and156cases.11

The number of juveniles convicted of offences fell sharply after 1997 (from 424 in 1997 to 201 in2002)andhasdecreasedevenfurtherinrecentyears.12Thepercentageofconvictedpersonswhoarejuvenileshasremainedrelativelysteady,however,suggestingthatthedecreasemaybeduelargelyto improvements in the economy and social conditions, rather than any policies or programmesconcerningjuveniles.13Indeed,from2002to2005thenumberofjuvenilesconvictedremainedfairlysteadywhilethenumberofconvictedadultsfell.

The number of juveniles serving custodial sentences and the number of juveniles detained priorto trial have both declined significantly during the last decade. In 1998, there were 82 juvenilesserving sentences in the juvenile ‘colony’ and 45 in the pretrial detention facility, in addition tofour adolescent girls detained or serving sentences in the women’s prison.14 In 2005, there

7 CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,ConsiderationofreportssubmittedbyStatespartiesunderArticle44oftheConvention,InitialreportsofStatespartiesduein1995:Armenia,CRC/C/28/Add.9,1997,para.151.

8 436offencescommittedby552juvenileoffendersin1993;420offencescommittedby444juvenilesin1995;741offencescommittedby975juvenilesin1997;589offencescommittedby479juvenilesin1998.SeeGiles,G.,ReportonJuvenileJusticeandDelinquencyinArmenia,UNICEFYerevan,2001,citingunpublishedMinistryofJusticedata.

9 175offencescommittedby211offendersin2004;150offencescommittedby185juvenilesin2005;161offencescommittedby199juvenilesin2006;189offencescommittedby261in2007;and174offencescommittedby223juvenilesin2008,accordingtounpublisheddataprovidedtotheassessmentteam.

10 ReportonJuvenileJusticeandDelinquencyinArmenia,p.28.Accordingtodatafor2001fromtheMinistryofInternalAffairs,DepartmentfortheEnforcementofCriminalPenalties,citedinArmenia’ssecondreport,thenumberofoffencesbyjuvenilesreportedrosefrom243in1989to403in1995(nofigureisgivenfor1994).SeeCommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,ConsiderationofreportssubmittedbyStatespartiesunderArticle44oftheConvention,SecondperiodicreportofArmenia,CRC/C/93/Add.6,2003,para.391,Table25.

11 UnpublisheddataprovidedtotheassessmentteambythePoliceofRA.

12 198juvenilesconvictedofoffencesin2003;222in2004;192in2005;168in2006;179in2007and178in2008(unpublisheddataprovidedbytheMinistryofJusticetoUNICEF).Thenumberofjuveniles‘senttocourt’during2004–2008wasevenlower,accordingtounpublisheddataprovidedtotheassessmentteambythePoliceofRA(seesection2ofAnnex1).

13 Thedataneededtoidentifytheimpactofdemographicchangearenotavailable.

14 TheStatusofJuvenilesintheJuvenileColony,UNICEF/NationalCentreforDemocracyandHumanRights,Yerevan,1998,p.2.(Thelegalstatusofthegirlswasnotstated.)


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were 31 juveniles serving sentences and 18 in pretrial detention.15 At the time of the assessmentmission, there were 18 juveniles serving sentences (including four or five over age 18) and24 juveniles in the pretrial detention facility. No girls were detained or serving sentences in thewomen’sprison.

Armenia’s Initial report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child wasprepared in 1997 and examined by the Committee on the Rights of the Child (‘the Committee’)in2000.16AsecondreportwaspresentedtotheCommitteein2002andexaminedin2004.17Onbothoccasions, the Committee expressed concern about “the absence of a system of juvenile justice,in particular the absence of specific laws, procedures and juvenile courts.”18 Specific concernsexpressedbytheCommitteein2000,andagainin2004,include“thelengthofpretrialdetentionandthelimitedaccesstovisitorsduringthisperiod;theuseofdetentionnotasameasureoflastresort,and the often disproportionate length of sentences in relation to the seriousness of offences; theconditionsofdetention;andtheabsenceoffacilitiesforthephysicalandpsychologicalrecoveryandsocialreintegrationofjuvenileoffenders.”19

TherecommendationsmadebytheCommitteein2004include:

(a) To give priority attention to proposals to establish specific courts to deal with all personsunderage18;

(b) To develop and implement alternative measures to reduce the use and length of pretrialdetentionandothercustodialsentences;

(c) Toensurethatthedeprivationoflibertyofjuvenilesisonlyusedasameasureof‘lastresort’,forthe‘shortestappropriateperiodoftime’,andthatchildrenhaveaccesstolegalaid;

(d) To ensure that training of prosecutors, judges, lawyers and others involved in theadministrationofjusticeiscarriedoutsystematicallyandconsistently;

(e) To develop programmes and provide facilities for the physical and psychological recoveryandsocialreintegrationofjuveniles.20

UNICEF’s involvement in juvenile justicebegan in1998with its support toan investigationon theconditions in thecorrectional facility for juveniles.21Asituationanalysiswasprepared in2001,butdid not lead to the adoption of a programme on juvenile justice.22 At the time of the assessmentmission,theCountryProgramme2010–2015wasbeingprepared.Itwillcontainactivitiesonjuvenilejustice,butnotaseparatejuvenilejusticeprogramme.

15 NationalStatisticalServiceofArmenia,ChildreninconflictwiththelawinArmenia,MONEECountryAnalyticalReport,UNICEFInnocentiResearchCentre,Florence,2006,p.5.

16 CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,InitialreportofArmenia,CRC/C/28/Add.9;CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,ConsiderationofreportssubmittedbyStatespartiesunderArticle44oftheConvention,ConcludingobservationstotheinitialreportofArmenia,CRC/C/15/Add.119,2000.

17 CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,SecondperiodicreportofArmenia,CRC/C/93/Add.6;CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,ConsiderationofreportssubmittedbyStatespartiesunderArticle44oftheConvention,ConcludingobservationstothesecondperiodicreportofArmenia,CRC/C/15/Add.225,2004.

18 CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,CRC/C/15/Add.119,para.56andCRC/C/15/Add.225,para.70.

19 Ibid.(Theonlyconcernexpressedin2000andnotreiteratedin2004wasthedetentionofjuvenilestogetherwithadults.)

20 Ibid.,para.71.

21 TheStatusofJuvenilesintheJuvenileColony,UNICEF/NationalCentreforDemocracyandHumanRights,Yerevan,1998.

22 Thereasonwasthatthenumberof‘childreninconflictwiththelaw’wasconsideredtoolowtomakethisapriority.


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Executive Summary

OffendingbyjuvenilesappearstohaveincreasedinArmeniaduringtheyearsafteritsindependencefrom the USSR and those following the conflict with neighbouring Azerbaijan, but began tofall in 199823 and seems to have now reached levels lower than the years before independence.Correspondingly,thenumberofjuvenilesservingsentencesandthenumberofjuvenilesinpretrialdetentionhavedecreasedbymorethantwothirdssince1998.Atthetimeoftheassessmentmission,therewere18juvenilesservingsentences(includingfourorfiveoverage18)and24juvenilesinthepretrialdetentionfacilityintheentirecountry.

ThestructureoftheArmenianjuvenilejusticesystemhaschangedlittlesinceindependence.TherearestillaJuvenilePoliceUnit;two‘specialschools’whosestudentsincludeanunknownnumberofunderageoffendersandchildrenatrisk;oneChildren’sSupportCentreinthecapital;onecorrectionalfacilityforconvictedjuvenilesandonecentreforjuvenilesawaitingtrialandsentencing;andjudgesappointedtohandlejuvenilecases,butnospecializedjuvenilecourt.

Manyof these institutionshaveundergoneextensive reforms,however.ThePolicehaveentrustedmanagementofthereceptionanddistributioncentre–renamed‘Children’sSupportCentre’–toanNGOthathasconverteditintoamodelcentreforchildrenatrisk.TheJuvenilePoliceparticipateininnovativeprogrammesoncommunity-basedpreventionandtreatment,incooperationwithNGOs.Policies and programmes in the juvenile correctional facility have improved, although a coherentapproachtorehabilitationislacking.

Some new programmes and institutions have been established. In cooperation with the Police ofRA and the NGO Project Harmony, a successful community-based prevention and rehabilitationprogramme was launched, which is operational in six cities and is included in the National Planof Action for the Protection of the Rights of the Child 2004–2015. The Public Defender’s Office isproviding legal services to accused juveniles and the Monitoring Groups are making valuablecontributionstothetransformationofjuvenilejustice.

Thereisnoframeworklawonjuvenilejustice;asinSoviettimes,casesinvolvingjuvenilesuspectsanddefendants,convicted juvenilesandjuvenileprisonersaregovernedbytheCriminalCode, theCodeofCriminalProcedure, theExecutiveCriminalCodeandother lawsand regulations.Mostoftherelevantlegislationhasbeenamended,andsomeoftheamendmentsbringthelawintogreaterconformitywithinternationalstandards.Juvenilesuspectshavearightto legalassistanceasfromthemomentofdetention,andaccusedjuvenilesfromthemomentchargesarefiled.Representationby a defence attorney is mandatory. Once a juvenile is accused of an offence, only a court mayorderdetention.Thoseaccusedofminoroffencesmaynotbedetained.Prisonsentencesmaynotbe imposed for minor offences. The maximum sentence for convicted juveniles is ten years, butfewreceivesentencesofmorethanfiveyears.TrainingintherightsofthechildhashadsignificantpositiveimpactontheJuvenilePolice,andthecourts.

Although many improvements have been made, further progress is required. Some advances areurgent.Policehaveauthoritytodetainjuvenilesuspectsfor72hours;casesofabuseandeventorturehave been reported; and commitment to eradicating these practices is insufficient. Renovation ofthephysical infrastructureof the facility forconvicted juveniles isurgentlyneeded.Whilephysicalconditions in thepretrialdetentioncentrehave improved, restrictionsonactivitiesandmovementincompatiblewiththerightstoeducation,recreationandhumanetreatmentareapplied.

23 CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,SecondperiodicreportofArmenia,CRC/C/93/Add.6,para.391,citingdatafromtheDepartmentfortheEnforcementofCriminalPenalties(from256offencesin1990to403in1995).


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Further amendments to legislation also are required. Prison regulations still allow solitaryconfinement as a punishment, in violation of international standards. Legal standards on pretrialdetention are too vague, and the maximum period of detention before and during trial should bereducedtocomplywiththerecommendationoftheCommitteeontheRightsoftheChild.Similarly,themaximumperiodofpolicecustodywithoutacourtordershouldbereducedto24hours.Ifoneormorespecialschoolsremainopen,normsgoverningthem,whichconsistmainlyofregulations,shouldbereplacedbylegislationcompatiblewithinternationalstandards.

Otherrecommendationsmadebytheassessmentteaminclude:

• Theeffectivenessofexistinginstitutionsandprogrammesforthepreventionofoffendingandre-offendingshouldbeassessedtoobtaintheinformationneededinordertotakedecisionsregardingthefutureoftheCommunityJusticeCentres,theLegalSocializationProjectandthespecialschools.

• Thepossibilityofdesignatingcertaininvestigatorstobecomespecializedincriminalcasesinvolvingjuvenilesshouldbeconsidered.

• Theneedforaspecializedchildren’scourtshouldbeassessed,inter alia,byanevaluationofthewayspecializedjudgescarryouttheirduties.

• Dataontheimpact(positiveandnegative)ofcustodialandnon-custodialsentencesonconvictedjuvenilesshouldbecollectedandanalysedtoshedlightontheeffectivenessofexistingsentencingpoliciesandpractice.

• Considerationshouldbegiventotheadoptionofaframeworklawspecificallyonjuvenilejusticetoeliminatethegapsinexistinglegislationandnormsapplicabletobothjuvenilesandadultsthatareincompatiblewiththerightsofchildren.

• Trainingshouldbeconductedinthepsychologyofoffenders,thepreventionofoffendingandre-offending(rehabilitationofoffenders),thetreatmentofchildvictimsandtheskillsnecessarytoconductcriminologicalresearch.

• Existinginter-agencycoordinationmechanismsshouldbestrengthened.

• AspecializedchildrightsunitshouldbecreatedbytheHumanRightsDefender.

• Relevantindicatorsconcerningjuvenilejusticeshouldbeidentifiedandthecorrespondingdatapublishedannually.


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PART I. The Process of Juvenile Justice Reform

1) Policy and advocacy

PartVIIoftheNationalPlanofActionfortheProtectionofChildren’sRights2004–2015referstojuvenileoffenders, in the context of other issues including vagrancy, trafficking and sexual exploitation ofchildren.Itcallsforgreateridentificationofjuvenileoffendersandtheoffencescommittedbythem;prevention of offending and protection of their legal rights; greater use of alternative sentences;reductionofthenumberof juvenilesinthecorrectionalsystem;andbettercooperationamongtheresponsibleministriesandthestatisticalandcorrectionalservices.24

TheNationalProgrammeforthePreventionofCrime2008–2012alsoincludesactivitiesspecificallydesignedtopreventoffendingbyjuveniles.

Thereisnonationalstrategyonjuvenilejusticeper se.AseniorrepresentativeoftheMinistryofLabourandSocialIssuesindicatedthatshebelievesoneisneeded,especiallywithregardtotheroleof‘specialschools’.Theassessmentteamagreesthatitisurgenttoadoptapolicyregardingtheschools,aswellastherolesoftheChildren’sSupportCentre,theCommunityJusticeCentresand,ingeneral,thewholearea of community-based secondary and tertiary prevention and reintegration. Ideally, a policy onthesedimensionsofjuvenilejusticeshouldformpartofacomprehensivepolicyonjuvenilejustice.

2) Law reform

The 1995 Constitution, amended in November 2005, recognizes many human rights concerningcriminaljustice.25TheLawontheRightsoftheChildadoptedthefollowingyearcontainstwoarticlesconcerning juvenile justice. Article 31 recognizes the inviolability of the person; the principle thatarrest,searchordetentionmustbelegal;thattheparentsorguardiansofachilddeprivedoflibertymustbeinformedimmediately;thatchildrenmaynotbecompelledtotestifyagainstthemselvesoragainstclose relatives; thatconvictedchildrenhave the right toappeal;and thatchildrenmaynotbedetainedwithadults.Article32recognizestherightofchildreninspecialeducationalfacilitiesto,inter alia,respect,education,healthcareandcontactwithparents.26

In order to bring Armenian legislation in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, acomparativeanalysisofArmenia’sdomesticlawandtheConventionwascarriedoutin1999.27

AnewCodeofCriminalProcedure,adoptedin1998,enteredintoforcein1999,andanewCriminalCode was adopted in 2003. Chapter 1 of the Criminal Code and chapter 2 of the Code of CriminalProcedure incorporate most of the guarantees of due process recognized by international humanrightslaw,suchastheprincipleoflegalityandequalityofallpersonsbeforethelaw,therighttoafairandpublictrialbyanindependentandimpartialcourt,thepresumptionofinnocence,therighttoadefence,therightnottobeobligedtogiveincriminatingtestimony,therightnottobeprosecutedtwiceforthesameoffence,andtherightofasuspecttobeinformedofthelegalandfactualbasisfor the investigation.28 Torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment are prohibited by the

24 NationalPlanofActionfortheProtectionoftheRightsoftheChild2004–2015,translatedandpublishedbytheUNICEFArmeniaOffice,Yerevan,2005,pp.16–17.

25 Constitution,Articles19–22.

26 Strangely,thegovernmentclaimsthatthisarticledoesnotapplytoanyexistingfacility.

27 CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,Concludingobservations,SecondperiodicreportofArmenia,CRC/C/15/Add.225,para.25.

28 CriminalCode,Articles4–11;seealsoArticle13prohibitingtheretroactiveapplicationofthecriminallaw.CodeofCriminalProcedure,Articles10–21.


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Constitution,theCriminalCodeandtheCodeofCriminalProcedure,aswellasthe1996LawontheRightsoftheChild.29

The new ‘Criminal Executive Code’ or Penitentiary Code, adopted in 2004, contains one article on“sentence serving particularities of juvenile convicts.”30 A few other articles contain provisionsrecognizingtherightsof juvenilestomorefavourabletreatmentwithregardtovisits,exerciseanddiscipline.Similarly,the2002LawonTreatmentofArresteesandDetaineescontainsonearticleon“SpecificsofKeepingWomenandJuvenilesunderArrestorDetention,”and twootherarticlesonspecialprovisionsforjuvenilesconcerningfoodanddisciplinarysanctions.31

ImportantchangesweremadetotheCodeofCriminalProcedurein2001.32Inparticular,theamountof timesuspectscanbedetainedby thepolicewithoutcourtorderwas reduced from96hours to72hours.In2006theCodewasamendedtorecognizetherightofpersonsparticipatingincriminalproceedingstoprotection,33andatthetimeoftheassessmentmissionasignificantpackageofnewamendmentswasbeingprepared.

Thereisnoframeworklawonjuvenilejustice,however,andthechaptersoftheCriminalCodeandtheCodeofCriminalProcedureon juvenile suspects, accusedandoffendersare short anddonotincorporatethebasicprinciplessetforthinArticles37and40oftheConventionontheRightsoftheChild.34Thelegislationonthetreatmentofprisonerscontainssomeprovisionsthatareincompatiblewith international standards, such as those authorizing solitary confinement of juveniles as apunishmentforfiveortendays.35

Theassessmentteamconcludesthat,althoughimportantchangeshavebeenmadeinthelegislationconcerningjuvenileoffenders,furtherchangesinseverallawsareneeded.

3) Administrative reform/restructuring

In 2001, the prison system was transferred from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the Ministry ofJustice.This‘de-militarization’hasgreatlyfacilitatedthehumanizationofconditionsandpolicies,tothebenefitofjuvenilesandadults.

In 2007, the General Prosecutor’s Office was deprived of responsibility for investigating offences.ThisfunctionisnowentrustedtotheGeneralInvestigativeDepartmentofthePoliceofRA.Sincethe

29 Constitution,Article17;CriminalCode,Articles11.2,119and341;CodeofCriminalProcedure,Article7;andLawontheRightsoftheChild,Article9.(ThepunishmentfortortureunderArticle119oftheCriminalCodeisamerethreeyears,intheabsenceofaggravatingcircumstances.)

30 CriminalExecutiveCode,Article109.

31 LawonTreatmentofArresteesandDetaineesof6February2002,Articles27,19and35,respectively.

32 TheCodeofCriminalProcedurewasamendedthreetimes,bytheLawonAmendmentstotheRepublicofArmeniaCodeofCriminalProcedureof12December2001,bytheLawonAmendmentstotheRepublicofArmeniaLawonAdvocacy,CivilProcedureCodeandCodeofCriminalProcedureof23October2001andbytheLawonAmendmentstotheRepublicofArmeniaCodeonAdministrativeOffences,CriminalCodeandCodeofCriminalProcedure.

33 LawonAmendingandSupplementingtheCodeofCriminalProcedureof25May2006.ThislawamendedchapterXII(Articles98–99)oftheCode,definingindetailthetypesofprotectionmeasuresforpersonsparticipatingincriminalproceedings(victims,witnesses,accused,membersoftheirfamiliesandclosedrelatives,proceduresfortheprotectionoftheirpersonaldata,theirrightsandobligationsetc.).

34 Chapter14oftheCriminalCodeon‘Peculiaritiesofcriminalliabilityandpunishmentforminors’containstwelvearticles,andchapter50oftheCodeofCriminalProcedureon‘Peculiaritiesofproceedingsoncasesconcerningtheunder-aged’containsfivearticles.

35 Law on Treatment of Arrestees and Detainees, Article 35(uptofivedaysforjuveniledetainees);CriminalExecutiveCode,2004,Article95(tendaysforconvictedjuvenileprisoners).SolitaryconfinementofjuvenilesisprohibitedbytheHavanaRules,citedbelow.


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responsibilities of the General Prosecutor’s Office include monitoring compliance with the law bycivilservants,administrativecontroloverinvestigatorswasconsideredaconflictofinterests.

During the first years of independence, the Commissions on Minors became inoperative. TheywererevivedbyanordnancesignedbythePrimeMinisterin1999,butin2000theirfunctionsweremergedwith thoseof theGuardianshipandTrusteeshipCouncils.36 In2006,ChildProtectionUnits(CPUs)wereestablishedunderthelocalgovernments(marzpetarans).Thereareeleven,oneinthecapital and one in each of the 10 provinces (marzes) in Armenia. In contrast to the GuardianshipandTrusteeshipCouncilsandformerCommissionsonMinors,theChildProtectionUnitshavesmallsalaried professional staff, including psychologists, social workers, educators and health workers.Their role is described below, in the section on prevention. Their working methods are still beingdeveloped,andtheirmandateextendsfarbeyondissuesrelatedtooffendingbyjuveniles,buttheyhavethepotentialtoplayavaluableroleinprevention,inassistancetoyoungerchildreninvolvedincriminalactivityandinpost-releasesupportandassistance.TheEuropeanUnionsupportedathree-yearprojectfordevelopingthecapacityoftheChildProtectionUnits,whichendedinAugust2009.37

4) Allocation of resources

The staff of the Child Protection Units may be cut because of the economic crisis. The economiccrisis also has delayed renovation of the juvenile correctional facility, although it has not had anadverseimpactontheoperatingbudgetofthefacilitiesforjuveniledetaineesandprisoners.Heavycaseloadsofthepsychologistsandsocialworkersworkingintheprisonsystemdo,however,preventthem from fulfilling their role adequately. Financial constraints also are cited as a reason that theHumanRightsDefenderhasnotestablishedaseparateunitonchildrights.

Financial constraintshavenothadaperceptible impacton thebudgetofotherbodies involved injuvenilejustice,suchastheJuvenilePolice.

Thesalariesofvarioussectorsoflawenforcementandtheadministrationofjustice,suchasprisonstaffand judges,were increasedsomeyearsaspartofastrategy to improveprofessionalismandcombat corruption. Most observers agree that this strategy has been effective, although abuse orcorruptionmaynothavebeeneliminatedcompletely.Similarly,thesalariesofpublicdefendershavebeensetatthesamelevelasthoseofprosecutors,apolicyintendedtoensurethequalityofservicesprovidedandtorespecttheprincipleoftheequalityofpartiesincriminalproceedings.Thesesalarylevelshavebeenmaintaineddespitetherecentfinancialcrisis.

Ingeneral, limitedresourcesdonotappear tobeamajorobstacle tobringing juvenile justice intogreaterharmonywithinternationalstandardsatthistime.

5) Training and capacity-building

Mostprofessionalsinvolvedinjuvenilejusticehavereceivedsometraininginchildrightsandrelatedsubjectsduringthelastfewyears,andsomeprogresshasbeenmadeininstitutionalizingtraininginchildrights,especiallyforthepolice.

TheMinistryofJusticeandtheAssociationofJudgesorganizedtrainingprogrammesforjudgesin2003,before thenewCriminalCodeentered into force.Almostall judgesof trialcourtsofgeneraljurisdictionandsomeappellateparticipated.The followingyeara trainingprogrammeonchildren

36 ReportonJuvenileJusticeandDelinquencyinArmenia,p.37.

37 TheprojectalsobenefitedtheGuardianshipandTrusteeshipCouncils.


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andwomen’sissueswasorganizedforonejudgefromeverytrialcourt.Thecourse,organizedbytheMinistryofJusticewiththesupportofUNICEF,focusedontheprovisionsofthenewCriminalCodethatdealwithwomenandchildren,theConventionontheRightsoftheChildandotherinternationalstandards,aswellaschilddevelopmentandpsychologyandtheirimplicationsforjudicialpractice.

In 2003–2005, the Ministry of Justice conducted seminars for prison staff on the psychological,legalandeducationalaspectsofdealingwithjuvenilesinthecorrectionalsystem.Theobjectiveofthe training, organized with the support of UNICEF, was to build the capacity of correctional staffworkingwithchildrenandwomenbydevelopingskillsandchangingattitudes.The2004trainingalsocoveredthenewprovisionsoftheCriminalCodeaswellasotherrelevantlegislation.Responsibilityfor training prison staff now lies with the Ministry’s Law Institute. All prison staff are required toattendarefreshercourseonceeveryfiveyears.Thecourseincludesacomponent(oneortwohours)onhumanrights,whichtouchesontherightsofchildren.

The topic of child rights has been incorporated into the curriculum of the Police Academy, and amanualonthetreatmentofjuvenileoffendersandchildvictimsofcrimeisinuse.Themanualandthetrainingprovidedcoverissuessuchasinterviewingchildren,symptomsandevidenceofviolenceandacodeofconductaboutthetreatmentofchildren.

Trainingrelatedtojuvenilejusticehasnotbeenevaluated,butmanyobserversagreethatithashadapositiveeffectonjuvenilejustice,inparticularregardingthepoliceandthecourts.

6) Accountability mechanisms

AHumanRightsDefenderwasestablishedin2003.Ithasnounitspecializedintherightsofchildren,however,andreceivesfewcomplaintsofviolationsoftherightsofchildren.38

Twoindependentgroupsmonitorthetreatmentofpersonsdeprivedofliberty,oneestablishedin2004forprisonsandpretrialdetentionfacilitiesundertheMinistryofJustice,andoneestablishedin2006fortheinvestigativecustodyfacilitiesoperatedbythePoliceofRA.39Theirfunctionsandpowersasindependent monitors are recognized by law.40 Both prepare annual reports, ‘current’ reports and,whenanurgentcasearises,‘ad hoc’reports.Theirmandateincludesbothphysicalabuseofindividualsandconditionsofdetention.Sourcesagreethattheestablishmentandtheactivitiesofthesegroupshavemadeasignificantcontributiontoimprovingthetreatmentofprisonersanddetainees.

Sources interviewed agreed that physical abuse of juveniles no longer exists in the prison andpretrialdetentioncentreoperatedbytheMinistryofJustice.ThePoliceMonitoringGroupmaintains,and another source confirmed, that physical abuse and even torture are still inflicted on suspectsby the police before the suspects are placed in investigative custody facilities. Indeed, a memberof the Group informed the assessment team that a 17-year-old suspect was subjected to beatingsandelectricshockinapolicestationinYerevanduringtheassessmentmission.ThisreportisbeinginvestigatedbythePolice,theGeneralProsecutorandtheHumanRightsDefender.

There is no public information on police officers having ever been sanctioned or prosecuted fortortureorcruelandinhumantreatmentofajuvenileoradultsuspect.TheMonitoringGroupsperform

38 Elevencomplaintsin2008,allsubmittedbyparentsandnoneaboutissuesrelatedtojuvenilejustice.

39 AsmentionedintheNoteontheAssessmentMission,theirfullnamesareGroupofPublicObserversConductingPublicMonitoringofPenitentiaryInstitutionsandBodiesoftheMinistryofJusticeoftheRepublicofArmeniaandGroupofPublicObserversattheDetentionFacilitiesofthePoliceSystem.

40 LawonTreatmentofArresteesandDetainees,Article47;CriminalExecutiveCode,Article21.


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avaluableserviceindeterringill-treatmentofjuvenile(andadult)suspects,detaineesandprisoners–and,indeed,representa‘goodpractice’deservingtobeemulatedinothercountries–buttheireffortshavenotbeensufficienttoensureaccountability.ThePublicDefenderinformedtheassessmentteamthatinsomecasescourtshaveexcludedstatementsobtainedthroughcoercion,butanNGOstatedthatinmanycasescourtsignoreclaimsofabusebydefendants.Accountabilityrequiresthepoliticalwillonthepartoftheresponsibleauthoritiestoinvestigateandprosecuteofficialswhoviolatetherightsofprisoners,aswellastomakethisinformationpublic.Thisstillseemstobelacking.

7) Coordination

Coordinationbetweenthedifferentpartsofthejuvenilejusticesystemisverypoor.Accordingtoonegovernmentalofficial,“Eachsectorworksseparately…thereisnoteamwork.”AnNGOrepresentativeagreed,statingthat“morecontinuityofservicesisneeded.”Specificexamplesweregiven,suchastheinabilityofsocialworkersinthecorrectionalsystemtocoordinatewithanybodyinthecommunitytocommunicateorprovideservicestothefamiliesofjuvenilesdeprivedofliberty,orhelpwiththeirreintegrationintothefamilyandcommunityafterrelease.TheHeadoftheChildren’sSupportCentreindicatedthattherearead hocconsultationsonhowtohandle‘difficult’individualcases.Ingeneral,however,itseemsclearthatcoordinationonthelevelofcasemanagementissporadicandinsufficient.

In principle, one of the functions of the National Commission for Child Protection is to “submitproposals on activities of state governance bodies and NGOs related to prevention of juveniledelinquency.”However,theCommissionhasonlyrecentlybeguntomeetafteraperiodofmorethan18monthswithoutactivity.Thecreationofaworkinggrouponjuvenilejustice,incorporatingsomemembers of the Commission (or their representatives) and representatives of civil society, couldboth foster cooperation at the local level and help develop a broad and coherent national policyon juvenile justiceandmonitordevelopments regardingoffending, lawenforcement,adjudication,rehabilitationandreintegrationintosociety.

8) Data and research

Dataconcerningjuvenilejusticearecompiledbyatleastfouragencies:thePoliceofRA,theJudicialDepartment, the Penitentiary Department of the Ministry of Justice, and the General Prosecutor’sOffice.ThesedatadonotincludeinformationonresidentialprogrammessuchasthespecialschoolsandtheChildren’sSupportCentre,orcommunity-basedprogrammessuchastheCommunityJusticeCentres,althoughinformationabouttheyouthservedinthesecentresiscommunicatedtothePoliceofRA.OneofthefunctionsofthenewlyestablishedChildProtectionUnitsistomaintainadatabaseon‘beggar,vagrantanddelinquentadolescents’,althoughtodatethishasnotbeenimplemented.41None of the data concerning juvenile justice compiled by the relevant ministries or agencies arepublished regularly. They are not confidential, however, and are provided to interested NGOs andinternationalorganizationsonrequest.

Data on some important indicators are not recorded. There is no information, for example, on thenumberofchildrenunderage14investigatedbythepolicebecauseofinvolvementincriminalactivity;onthenumberofprisonerssentencedasjuvenileswhoareservingsentencesinanadultprisonafterreachingage18;noronthenumberofadultoffendershavingapriorrecordofoffendingasjuveniles.

MostofthepersonsinterviewedwereunawareofanystudiesonoffendingbyjuvenilesinArmenia,andmanyofthemagreedthatmoreresearchisneeded.42

41 JointDirectiveoftheMinistryofRegionalGovernanceandMinistryofLabourandSocialIssues‘Onapprovingofsamplechartersofchildprotectiondepartmentsofmarz authorities(Yerevanmunicipality)oftheRepublicofArmenia’,17November2005,SampleCharter[Annex],Article7(g).

42 AstudybyL.Gavukchyanonthefamilybackgroundof80juvenileoffendersdetainedbetween2002and2006waspublishedin Law and Reality,GeneralProsecutor’sOffice,Yerevan,June2006.


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PART II. The Juvenile Justice System in Armenia

1) Prevention

Article9ofthe1996LawontheRightsoftheChildrecognizesthedutyoftheStatetoprotectchildrenagainstallformsofviolence,exploitationorinvolvementincriminalactivities.43

In2008,theGovernmentapprovedaNationalProgrammeforthePreventionofCrime2008–2012.44A few activities envisaged by the Progamme specifically concern juveniles, such as the creationof “rehabilitation centres for juvenile offenders in Yerevan, Gyumri and Vanadzor,” ensuringcooperationbetweenthemunicipalChildProtectionUnitsandNGOs,andtheintroductionofJuvenilePoliceofficersin10secondaryschoolsonatrialbasis.45ThedecreeapprovingtheProgrammealsoestablishedaninterministerialcommissiontocoordinateimplementation.46Thecommissionshouldmeetquarterly,buttodateithasmetonlyonce,inAugust2009.

ThegovernmentbodiesthathavemostresponsibilityforthepreventionofoffendingbyjuvenilesaretheJuvenilePoliceandthenewlyestablishedChildProtectionUnits.Thereare280JuvenilePoliceofficers throughout thecountry,andallhavereceived training inchild rightsandrelated issues.Acodeofconductonthetreatmentofchildrenwasadoptedin2005.

Traditionally, the Juvenile Police undertake this responsibility mainly through the ‘registration’of children at risk. They have now taken on another role in a ‘Legal Socialization Project’ aimedat sensitizing schoolchildren about offending. This project, known as ‘Project Zang’, has beenincorporated into the National Programme for the Prevention of Crime and is implemented withthe assistance of the NGO Project Harmony Armenia. Throughout 2003–2008 it was implementedingradessix tonineby teamsof teachersandJuvenilePoliceofficers.Theorganizers report thattherewas initial resistance to theProjectbecauseof thenegative imageof thepolice,butparentsandschoolslaterevaluatedtheexperiencepositivelyandtheProjecthashelpedchangetheattitudesofparticipatingpoliceofficers.Inadditiontothisqualitativefeedback,theimpactoftheProjecthasreportedly been evaluated, but the assessment team was not provided with reports or indicatorssuchas,forinstance,re-offendingtrends.

TheJuvenilePolicearealsocooperatingwiththeCommunityJusticeCentresandsharingwiththemresponsibilityforsupervisingormonitoringchildrenatrisk.Inthisway,childrenatriskareprovidedwitharangeofservicesthattheJuvenilePolicewereandareunabletoprovidethemselves.

Another component of ‘Project Zang’ consists of Community Justice Centres, which providesecondaryprevention(preventionforindividualchildrenidentifiedasbeingathighriskofoffending)aswellasdiversionforjuvenilesinvolvedinoffences.Itisfurtherdescribedbelow,insection4on‘Diversionandrestorativejustice’.

The Child Protection Units, as their name suggests, have a broad mandate to protect children.The Child Protection Unit of the capital has an interdisciplinary staff of seven, for a population ofapproximately1million.Thisratioisbetterintheprovince.However,theycannotinterveneonthebasisofperceivedriskalone,butonlywhenaviolationofarightofthechildhasbeenreported.

43 Theconsumption,productionorsaleofnarcotics,begging,prostitutionandgamblingareexpresslymentioned.

44 DecreeNo.1039-Nof27March2008.

45 Manyoftheotheractivitiesconcernpreventionofre-offendingwithintheprisonsystem,andpotentiallymaybenefitbothjuvenilesandadults(e.g.,improvingculturalandathleticopportunitiesincorrectionalfacilities).

46 DecreeNo.1039-Nof27March2008,para.4andAppendix2.


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Theassessmentteamconsidersthatthegovernmentisawareoftheimportanceofprevention,andconsidersthattheexistenceoftheNationalProgrammeforthePreventionofCrimeandtheactivitiesbeingimplementedintheframeworkofthatplanarepositive.Mostoftheactivitiesandinstitutionsthat help prevent offending by children also serve other objectives, such as diversion or childprotection,and for that reasonsomeof themaredescribed inmoredetailbelow.TheassessmentteamwouldliketoexpresstheviewherethattheCommunityJusticeCentresareagoodpractice,andthattheChildProtectionUnitsalsohavepotentialtomakeapositivecontributiontothepreventionofoffending.Someotherprojectsdescribedbelow,suchastheChildren’sSupportCentreandade-institutionalizationprojectsupportedbytheMinistryofLabourandSocialIssues,alsocontributetothepreventionofoffending,althoughitisnottheirmaingoal.Theinformationavailableontheotheractivitiesof theJuvenilePolice, suchas registrationand ‘legal socialization’, is insufficient for theassessmentteamtoformanopinionastotheirvalue.

2) The detention and interrogation of suspects

Asinmostcountries,policeofficershavethepowertodetainforpurposesofinvestigationpersons“suspectedinimmediate[commission]ofcrime”(i.e.,thosewhoarecaughtintheactofcommittingan offence; those who are identified by an eyewitness or found in possession of evidence of theoffence shortly after an offence; those who flee the scene of a crime; those who do not have apermanent residence in theareawhere theoffenceoccurred;and thosewhose identity cannotbeestablished).47Whethertheyareadultsorjuveniles,suchpersonsmaybedetainedbythepolicefor72hourswithoutacourtorder.48

Inaddition,thepolicehaveabroaderpowerto‘instituteacriminalcase’andcarryoutan‘inquiry’regardingreportedcrimes.49Theaimofan inquiry,whichmustbecompletedwithin10days, is tocollect evidence of the crime and ‘discover’ the offender.50 In the exercise of this function, policeofficersmaytakesuspectsintocustodyandinterrogatethem.51Ifthepoliceobtainsufficientevidencetochargeasuspect,thecaseisforwardedtotheGeneralInvestigativeDepartment.52

Investigators are posted in every province, under the authority of the Head of the GeneralInvestigativeDepartmentinthecapital.Theydonotanswertotheheadofthepoliceintheprovinceinquestion.WhenacaseisforwardedtotheDepartment,investigatorscarryout–orcomplete–apreliminaryinvestigation.53Thepreliminaryinvestigationbeginswhenadecisionto‘initiatecriminalprosecution’hasbeenmade,andmaylasttwomonths.54Investigatorshaveauthoritytodetainandinterrogatesuspectsduringthepreliminaryinvestigation,butonlyfor72hours.55Furtherdeprivationoflibertycanonlybeauthorizedbyacourtoncethesuspectischarged,thusbecominganaccused.56

47 CodeofCriminalProcedure,Articles62and129.

48 Ibid.,Article62.2.(Priorto2006,thelimitforpolicedetentionwas96hours.)

49 Ibid.,Article57.2(3)and57.3.

50 Ibid.,Article57.2(1),(5)and(6);seealsoArticle197(1).(Thisdoesnotgiveauthoritytoextenddetentionformorethan72hourswithoutacourtorder.)

51 Ibid.,Article57.2(5).SeealsoArticles128.3(2)and6.22.

52 Ibid.,Articles57.2(6)and196.

53 Theterms‘inquiry’and‘preliminaryinvestigation’areusuallyusedincontradictiontooneanother,althoughtheinquiryapparentlyalso‘canbeconsidered’partofthepreliminaryinvestigation.Ibid.,Article188.

54 Ibid.,Articles192and197.

55 Ibid.,Article55.4(2)and(13),andArticle130.

56 Ibid.,Article55.4(24).SeealsoArticle55.4(14).Asinotherpost-Sovietcountries,deprivationoflibertyafteranaccusedhasbeenchargedisknownas‘arrest’.


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Thepreliminaryinvestigationendswhenthecaseisforwardedthroughtheprosecutortothecourtforindictment,orclosed.57

Suspects and accused persons have the right to an attorney as from the time of detention oraccusation, and to have an attorney present during interrogation.58 The participation of a defenceattorneyincriminalproceedingsismandatory(i.e.,cannotbewaived)ifthesuspectoraccusedwasajuvenileatthetimeoftheoffence.59

Relativesofdetainedjuvenilesuspectsmustbeinformedimmediately,andhavetherighttovisit.60Ifthedetaineeisunderage16,parentsalsohavetherighttobepresentwhenhe/sheisinterrogated.Ifthepresenceofparentscannotbearranged,arepresentativeoftheGuardianshipandTrusteeshipCouncilshouldtaketheirplace.Inpractice,however,thisdoesnotalwaysoccur.

Suspects detained by the police are held in detention facilities operated by the Police of RA (seebelow).There isnospecific time limit for the transferofsuspects fromtheplaceofcapture to thedetentionfacility,buttheheadofthedetentionfacilityinformedtheassessmentteamthatitusuallyoccurswithinafewhours.Thedetentionfacility issubjecttosupervisionbythePoliceMonitoringGroup,butpolicestationsarenot.

Police detention facilities

In Yerevan the assessment team visited a police detention facility for suspects who have not yetbeencharged.Thetotalnumberofsuchfacilitiesis40.Thereisonesuchfacilityinthecapital,and32intheprovinces.61Sevenofthefacilitiesarenotoperationalduetodifferentreasons(insufficientphysical conditions, humidity etc.). Suspects may be detained here without a court order for72hours,asindicatedabove.62Within72hourstheymustbereleasedorchargedwithanoffence;iftheyarechargedandifacourtapprovesdetention,theymustbetransferredtothepretrialdetentionfacilityoperatedbytheMinistryofJustice.

Thepolicedetentionfacilitywasbuiltin1986,andhasacapacityof36.Men,womenandjuvenilesmay be detained there. The Director informed the assessment team that seven suspects weredetained there at the time of our mission, and that 19 juvenile suspects had been detained in thefacilitysincethebeginningof2009.

Suspectsgenerallyaredetainedseparately,onepersonpercell.Sincethecelldoorsaresolidsteel,ratherthanbars,thiseffectivelypreventscontactbetweenjuvenilesandadults,andmenandwomen.Requeststobedetainedinthesamecellasanotherpersonsometimesaregranted,accordingtotheDirector,topreventisolation.Indeed,Article31oftheLawonTreatmentofArresteesandDetainees,which states, “Arrestees shall be kept in places of arrest separately, in solitary confinement,”63 is

57 Ibid.,Article196.SeealsoArticle55.4(14).

58 Constitution,Article20;CodeofCriminalProcedure,Articles63.2(4)and(6),65.2(3)and(5);and211.

59 CodeofCriminalProcedure,Article69.1(5).

60 Article63.2(9)oftheCodeofCriminalProcedureprovidesthattherelativesofdetainedsuspectsmustbeinformedwithin12hours,butArticle31oftheLawontheRightsoftheChildprovides,“Thechild’sparentsorotherlawfulrepresentativesshallbeimmediatelynotifiedaboutthechild’sdetentionorarrest.”

61 Juvenilesaredetainedinonly32ofthoseoutsidethecapital.

62 The72hoursbegintorunwhentheofficerwhotakesthesuspectintocustodypreparesa‘protocol’,i.e.,recordstheevent,whichisdoneinthepolicestation.

63 Theterm‘arrestees’referstopersonsinpolicecustody,while‘detainees’referstothoseincourt-ordereddetentionpriortotrial–towhichthisclausedoesnotapply.


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notcompatiblewithinternationalstandards,whichqualifythesolitaryconfinementofjuvenilesasaformofcruel,inhumanordegradingtreatment.

Each cell has two beds, and is large enough for two persons. Meals are ordered from outsidethe facility, and served in cells. There is an area for ‘outdoor exercise’, rooms for meetings withinterrogatorsand lawyers,andasmall roomforreceivingvisits fromfamilymembers.Thefacilityappearedgenerally cleanand ingood repair, althoughsome refurbishmentwasneeded.Thestaffof48 includes4nurses,butnosocialworkerorpsychologist.Thedetentioncentres intheregionscomprisefivestaffmemberseach.

Tortureandabuseofprisonersdonotoccurinthepolicedetentionfacility,accordingtothePoliceMonitoring Group, but does occur in police stations. The assessment team was informed of thecase of a 17-year-old tortured in a police station during the assessment mission. The victim wasreportedlyinthepolicedetentionfacilitywhenitwasvisitedbytheassessmentteam,althoughtheDirector informed the team thatno juvenileswerepresent.Healso told theassessment team thatsince the beginning of the year the medical exam performed on admission had not revealed anycasesof juvenile suspectswith signsofphysical abuse.The teambelieves that this illustrates thedangerofallowingjuvenilesuspectstoremaininpolicecustodyfor72hours.

A survey of juvenile offenders and other juveniles having had contact with the police, carried outinparallel to thepresentassessment (seeAnnexe4 to thepresent report), suggests thatviolenceisroutine:

“The majority of respondents mentioned that they had been beaten at police stations. Some of them noted that police officers usually beat juveniles to make them admit (or take responsibility for) the crime or name persons who had participated in it (theft, fighting, etc.). Respondents who said they had not been subjected to violence explained it by the fact that they had confessed their guilt immediately.” 64

The Children’s Support Centre

In1999responsibilityfortheoperationofthe‘receptionanddistributioncentre’inYerevan,alegacyof the Soviet system, was transferred from the police to the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), anNGOestablishedunder theauspicesof theArmenianChurch.FARoperates thecentre,nowcalled‘Children’sSupportCentre’,pursuant toanagreementwith theJuvenilePolice.Thepowersof thepolice under relevant law and regulations still form the legal basis for the Centre’s existence andfunctioning,althoughtheapproachusedandthemethodsemployedhavebeentransformed.

Thecapacityof theCentre is30children.Thereareseparatebuildings foryoungchildren,and forolder children and adolescents. The larger building, which contains dormitories for older childrenandadolescents,alsocomprisesclassroomsandactivityroomsaswellasadministrativeoffices.Thesmallerbuildingincludesadispensary.Betweenthetwothereisapavedareausedforrecreation,andthegroundsalsoincludeagarden.Thefacilitiesareclean,ingoodrepairandpleasantlydecorated(includingwithartworkproducedbythechildren).

Children aged 3 to 18 years of both sexes are admitted for a wide variety of reasons: homelesschildrenandstreetchildren;victimsofabuse,exploitationandtrafficking;and‘registered’children,including younger children who have been involved in criminal activity. During 2008, 220 children

64 JuvenileJusticeinArmenia:PerspectiveofChildreninConflictWiththeLaw,AdvancedSocialTechnologies/OrganizationforSecurityandCo-operationinEurope(AST/OSCE),2010,p.55.(Thesurveyisbasedoninterviewswith91personswhohadbeeninthejuvenileprison,aCommunityJusticeCentre,onprobationorinNo.1EducationalComplexbetween2002and2009.)


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were admitted. During the month prior to the visit of the assessment team, 47 children wereadmitted, including fouraged11,12and14yearsbroughtby thepolicebecauseof involvement inoffences(twofortheft,oneforthreatsofviolenceagainstanotherchild,andoneforassault).Thereisnospecificdurationforplacement;itisoftenamatterofdays,butsomechildrenhavestayedformonths, especially those whose family is difficult to locate.65 The functions of the Centre are notdefinedbylaw,butbyregulationsandtheagreementwiththepolice.

TheroleoftheCentreinsuchcasesistoprepareanassessmentandprovidepsychosocialsupporttothechild,paralleltotheinvestigationofthefactscarriedoutbythepolice.66Whentheassessmentandinvestigationarecompleted,adecisiononwhatmeasurestotakeismadebytheGuardianshipandTrusteeshipCouncilandtheChildProtectionUnit.Whenthechildisputunderparentalsupervision,it isoftenwitharequirement that theparentsandchildmaintaincontactwith theCentre. Insomecases, theCentreprovidesvictim-offendermediation.Thestaffof16 includesfoureducators, fourcaregivers, two social workers, a psychologist, a half-time physician, in addition to administrativeandsupportstaff.Universitystudentsworkasvolunteers.

The assessment team is impressed with the child-friendly approach and quality of the servicesprovidedby theCentre,which in this respect shouldbe consideredagoodpractice.Although theassessmentteamhasnoreasontothinkthattheoperationsoftheCentreviolatetherightsofchildreninpractice–quitethecontrary–thelackofmandateandproceduresforplacementareneverthelessareasonforconcern.LegislationshouldbeadoptedtoensurethatthemandateorfunctionsoftheCentre, as well as the grounds and procedures for admitting children, are clearly defined and inharmonywithinternationalstandardsontherightsofchildren.

3) Detention prior to and during trial

Suspects,asindicatedabove,maybedetainedwithoutacourtorderforupto72hours.Thisappliestojuvenilesandadultsalike.Attheendofthisperiodthesuspectmustbeindicted,ortheinvestigationmustbeclosed.Ifthecourtapprovescharges,theprosecutormayrequestthatpretrialdetentionbeauthorized.Ingeneral,pretrialdetentionmayonlybeimposedforacrimepunishablebymorethanoneyearofimprisonment,orifthereissufficientreasontothinkthattheaccusedmayfleejusticeorcommitanotheroffence.67

This general rule is modified by Article 442 of the chapter on juveniles of the Code of CriminalProcedure,whichprovides that anaccused juvenilemaybedetainedonly if chargedwitha crimeofmediumormoreseveregravity.Offencesofmediumgravityarethosepunishablebymorethantwoyearsofimprisonment.68Alternativestopretrialdetentionincludebailand,forjuveniles,releaseunderthesupervisionofparentsorguardians.69

The initial court order approving detention is valid for two months.70 This can be extended for uptosixmonthsexceptionally“duetothecomplexityofthecase,”oruptooneyearifchargedwithagravecrimeoracrimeofparticulargravity.71Eachdecisiontoextendpretrialdetentionisonlyvalid

65 TheexamplewasgivenofachildwhosesolesurvivingparentwasamigrantworkerinRussia,whoremainedintheCentreforsevenoreightmonthsbeforefamilyreunification.

66 ThePoliceinvestigateoffencesbychildrenevenwhentheyaretooyoungtobeprosecutedundertheCriminalCode.

67 CodeofCriminalProcedure,Article135.2.

68 CriminalCode,Article19.

69 CodeofCriminalProcedure,Articles134.2and148(supervisionalsomaybedonebythestaffofaresidentialfacilityforchildren.)


71 Ibid.,Article138.4.


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fortwomonths,andthereasonsforitmustberecorded.72Theaccusedshould‘asarule’bepresentwhen thecourtdecidesona request forpretrialdetentionor theextensionofapretrialdetentionorder,andsuchordersmaybeappealed.73

The pretrial detention facility for juveniles

ThecorrectionalfacilityforjuvenilesandthepretrialdetentionunitforjuvenilesarelocatedtogetherinAbovyan,74inacampusthatalsoincludesthewomen’sprison,some20kilometresfromthecapital.TheyaretheonlypretrialdetentionunitandcorrectionalfacilityforjuvenilesinArmenia.Thepretrialdetentionfacilityforadolescentsisusedonlyformales.Thedetentionoffemalejuvenileoffendersis rare,butwhen itoccurs theyaredetained in thewomen’sprison,which incorporatesaunit forwomeninpretrialdetention.

The facility was built in 1957 as a juvenile facility; the facility for women was added in 1991. Thecommonareasof thecampusarerelativelyattractive,withfloweringplants,althoughmuchof thephysical infrastructureshows itsage.Thestaffof145 includesa full-timepsychologist,a full-timemedicaldoctorandtwonurses.

Anurseinformedtheassessmentteamthatthemostcommonmedicalissuesweredentalproblemsand the flu. It had been more than a year since a detainee or juvenile prisoners had been treatedforan injury (self-inflictedbutnot serious).Detaineesandprisonersaregivenamedical examonadmission,butarenot tested forHIVunless there isaspecific indicationof risk (e.g.,druguse,orparticipationinasexualoffence).

Thepretrialfacilityhasacapacityof100and,atthetimeofthevisit,hadapopulationof78,ofwhom24wereunderage18.Noneofthejuvenileswereyoungerthan16years.Mostwerechargedwiththeft.Thesecondmostcommonchargewaswoundingbyknife,andoneboywasaccusedofrape.Thelongestperiodofpretrialdetentionreportedbyconvictedjuvenileprisonerswas11months.Detentionforoneyearisnotuncommon,accordingtothestaff.Approximately60to70percentofthejuvenilepopulationwastakenintocustodyinthecapital,althoughmanyjuvenilesareoriginallyfromtheprovinces.

Thepretrialdetentionfacilityhasbeenrenovatedrecently.Somepartsof thebuilding(e.g.,stairs)stillshowtheiragebut,ingeneral,thephysicalinfrastructureisadequate.Juvenilesaredetainedinlarge(16m2)cellsthatcontaintwobunkbeds,twotallcupboardsforstoringpersonalbelongings,atelevision,75asmalltablewithtwobenches,cups,platesandeatingutensils,andalavatorywithsink.Thereisawindowwitholdcurtains.Thedoorisofsolidmetal.Naturallightingisadequate.Thewallsarebare,exceptforasmallcalendarandtheregulationsgoverningthefacility.Thetwodormitoriesvisitedseemedfairlyclean.Oneofthedormitoriesvisitedheldthreedetainees,theother,four.Thedetaineeswererespectfulandseemedatease.Theyweartheirownclothing.

Detainees have the right to two hours of ‘outdoor exercise’ every day.76 This time is spent in twocells located in a patio adjacent to the building that have bars in place of a ceiling/roof. There wasnoequipmentofanykindintheoneshowntotheassessmentteam,andthere isnoareafor indoorexerciseorrecreationduringbadweather.Showersarelocatedattheendofthecorridor.Thereisa


73 Ibid.,Articles285,287–288.

74 On8SeptembertheassessmentteamvisitedboththecorrectionalfacilityforjuvenilesandthepretrialdetentionunitforjuvenilesinAbovyan,inthecompanyoftheUNICEFRepresentative,theprogrammeofficerandaprogrammeassistant.

75 Oneofthetwofacilitiesvisitedwaslackingitstelevision,whichhadbeenremovedforrepairs.

76 Onehourmorethanadultmen.


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smallroomwithafewchairs,adeskandabookshelfthatservesasalibrary.Mostofthebooksareold,andintheRussianlanguage.Thedetaineeshousedinagivencelleatthere,andhavenocontactwithdetainees from other cells. They have no schooling, and participate in no organized activities otherthanthedailyvisittothe‘outdoor’cell.Apparently,theyareoftenallowedtovisittheoutdoorcellmorethanonceaday.Theyhavetherighttotwovisitsbyparentsandclosefamilymemberspermonth.

Regulations allow detention in a disciplinary cell (i.e., solitary confinement) for up to five days77anddetaineesarenotentitledtoappear inperson indisciplinaryhearings.Thesepracticesviolateinternational and European standards on the rights of juvenile prisoners.78 The staff informed theassessmentteamthattheyrelymainlyondiscussionsandpersuasiontoresolvedisciplinaryissues,andithadbeenmorethanayearsinceajuvenilehadbeenconfinedinthedisciplinarycell.

The most disturbing aspect of their situation is the total lack of contact between the detaineesassignedtoagivencellandotherdetaineesorprisoners.Apartfromoccasionalvisitsbyanattorneyorparent,ajuveniledetaineecanspendmonths–andlessfrequentlyevenayear–withnocontactwithanyoneotherthanhiscellmates.Decisionsastowhichdetaineesareassignedtothesamecellarebasedon the ‘needsof the investigation’.Recommendationsby thepsychologistarenot takenintoaccount.

4) Diversion and restorative justice

The Criminal Code provides that an offender may be exempted from criminal liability for minoroffences,orthoseofmediumgravity,ifhe/sheisreconciledwithorcompensatesthevictim.79Italsoprovidesthatfirstoffendersmaybeexemptedfromcriminalliabilityforminor,firstoffencesif“asaresultofthechangeofthesituationthispersonorthecommittedactisnolongerdangerousforthesociety.”80

Article37of theCodeofCriminalProceduregivesprosecutorsdiscretion to renounceprosecutionincertaincircumstancesenvisagedbyarticles72,73and74oftheCriminalCode,includingsincererepentance; consent of the victim and the prosecutor’s belief that “the accused or the suspect iscapable of correction without imposing a punishment;” offences causing insubstantial damages;and when pretrial measures “seem to be sufficient in terms of having the guilt redeemed.” Thisarticleapplies regardlessof theageof theaccused. Investigatorsalso take thisdecision incertaincases,subjecttotheapprovaloftheprosecutor,andthepolicemaydecidenottoproceedwiththeinvestigationofanoffence“intheeventofreconciliationoftheinjuredpartyandthesuspect.”81

SixCommunityJusticeCentreshavebeenestablishedbyProjectHarmony, inaccordancewiththeNationalProgrammeforthePreventionofCrime.82TheCentreshaveadualpurpose,bothpreventionand diversion. Some beneficiaries are children referred by schools for truancy or other antisocialbehaviour,orchildrentooyoungtobeprosecutedwhohavebeeninvolvedincriminalactivity.Others

77 LawonTreatmentofArresteesandDetainees,Article35.

78 UnitedNationsRulesfortheProtectionofJuvenilesDeprivedoftheirLiberty,Rule67.SeealsoRule95.3oftheEuropeanRulesforJuvenileOffenderssubjecttosanctionsormeasures.

79 Therearetwoarticlestothiseffect.Article72oftheCriminalCodeon‘Exemptionfromcriminalliabilityincaseofrepentance’appliestofirstoffenders(adultsorjuveniles)whocommitminorormediumoffences,whileArticle73on‘Exemptionfromcriminalliabilityincaseofreconciliationwiththeaggrieved’appliestominoroffences.

80 Ibid,Article74.

81 CodeofCriminalProcedure,Articles35.1(5)and35.3,and36.

82 ThetermusedinEnglishis‘communityjusticecentre’,whereasthenameusedinArmenianis‘communityrehabilitationcentre’.


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arechildrenaged14yearsorolderinvolvedinoffencesreferredbythepolice.Theservicesprovidedtotheformerpartofthecaseloadconstituteprevention;theservicesprovidedtothelatterconstitutediversionbecausethereferralismadebeforethecaseisforwardedtotheprosecutor.

Theminimumageforreferralisnineyears.Uponreferral,thechildandhis/herparent(s)mustsignanagreementregardingparticipation.Thedurationofparticipationdependsontheprogressmade,typically from two to five months. Services provided include victim-offender mediation, crafts(especiallypottery),computerliteracy,recreationalactivitiesandinformalcounselling.Agreementofthevictimtoparticipateinmediationisnotaprerequisiteforreferral.Theparticipationofthevictimissoughtafterreferralhasbeenmade,andservicesareprovidedevenifthevictimdoesnotagreetoparticipate(aboutonethirddo).Casesinwhichthevictimisnotaphysicalperson(e.g.,defacinga public monument, theft from the railroad) are also accepted. The project has a strong ethos ofcommunityresponsibilityinthepreventionofoffendingandrehabilitationofjuvenileoffenders,andshowing children at risk and offenders that important members of the community are concernedabout them. Integration into the community is a key part of the approach used. The Board of theCentrevisitedincludesapsychologist,amedicaldoctor,artistsandwriters.TheheadoftheJuvenilePoliceofVanadzorandBoardmembersparticipatedirectlyintheworkoftheCentre.Insomecases,parentsarereferredtoappropriateservices(e.g.,employment,substanceabusetreatment).

The Centre visited (in Vanadzor, Lori marz) has handled 32 cases since it opened in 2006: fifteencasesreferredfortheft,fiveforcrimesofviolence,83twofordamagetoproperty,threeforbeggingandsevenfortruancy.Seventeenwere14yearsofageorolderandfifteenwerebetweentheagesof9and13.Threeofthe32havere-offendedbycommittingthefts,andtwohavereturnedtobegging.

The survey of the children’s experiences84 found that children have a very positive opinion of thecentres.Theauthorsofthesurveyconclude:

“In the community centres the juveniles acquire self-control, self-management and communication skills; they become more communicable and find certain ways to share their problems. They become more confident and purposeful and start striving to fulfil their goals.”

Project Harmony is committed to full financing of the currently existing six Community JusticeCentres(threeofwhichstartedin2006,theotherthreethroughout2007–November2008)untilmid-2010,simultaneously trying toseekgovernment fundingandsupport for thepreservationof thesecentresandthereplicationof thisrestorative justicemodel intheotherprovincesofArmenia.TheassessmentteamconsidersittobeagoodpracticethatshouldbesupportedbytheGovernmentofArmeniaand,indeed,onethatdeservestobemadeknowninothercountriesoftheregion.

Non-penal disciplinary measures

Thecourtshavediscretion to imposenon-penalmeasuresonfirstoffenderswhohavecommittedminorormediumoffences.85These‘disciplinarymeasures’–warning,parentalcustody,reparationof the victim, restrictions on conduct or placement in special educational facilities for juvenileoffendersor‘medical-educational’facilities–arenotconsideredassentences.Theymaynotexceedsixmonths.86Ifthejuveniledoesnotcomplywiththemeasuresimposed,theordermaybecancelledandasentencemaybeimposed.

83 Twocasesof‘bodilyinjury’,oneoftheftbythreatofviolenceandcasesofattemptedsexualabuse

84 See,above,footnote64.


86 Ibid.,Article93.


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5) Adjudication and sentencing

The minimum age for adjudication

Theminimumagefor theprosecutionof juveniles is14years, formorethan20seriousoffences.87Persons aged 16 years may be prosecuted for any offence recognized by the Criminal Code.88Juvenileswhohavereachedtheseagelimitsdonothave‘criminal liability’ if theyare“notabletounderstandthenatureandsignificanceofone’sactionsortocontrolone’sactions”dueto“retardedmentaldevelopment.”89

Specialized courts or judges

In 2004 one judge from each trial court participated in a training course on juvenile justice andalternative sanctions co-sponsored by UNICEF, OSCE and ABA/ROLI. The Judicial School alsoorganizedanin-servicetrainingcourseonchildrightsin2008,incooperationwithUNICEF.Acourseon juvenile justice has been added to the curriculum for candidate judges, and 20 judges havegraduatedsinceitwasaddedtothecurriculum.Thereis,however,noregulationorpolicyrequiringthateachtrialcourthaveatleastonejudgespeciallytrainedinchildrightsorjuvenilejustice.

ArmenianauthoritiesareawareoftherecommendationoftheCommitteeontheRightsoftheChildthatspecializedjuvenilecourtsshouldbeestablished,butnoneoftheauthoritiesinterviewedbytheassessment teamconsideredthisappropriate.Themainreasongiven is thesmallnumberof trialsofjuveniles–156casesin2008,accordingtotheGeneralInvestigativeDepartment.Therealsoisabroad reluctance to establish specialized courts. In 2008 trial courts were separated into civil andcriminal courts,but thismeasurewas rescinded10months laterandall trial courtsagainbecamecourts of general jurisdiction. In practice, however, most judges in trial court are specialized andhandleonlycriminalorcivilcases.

Intheshortterm,themostpracticalwayofensuringthatjuvenilesaccusedofanoffence(andchildreninvolvedincriminalcasesasvictimsorwitnesses)aretriedbyjudgeshavingspecialtraininginchilddevelopment,childrightsandrelatedmatterswouldseemtobedesignatingonejudgeineachcourttohandlesuchcases.Thiscouldbedoneadministratively,withnoneedfor legislativeaction.Thesamekindofmeasurecouldbetakenwithregardtoprosecutors.Inbothcases,thereappearstobesomereceptivitytotakingthisstep.

Inthelongerterm,theeffectivenessofdesignatedjudgesandprosecutors inensuringcompliancewithrelevantprinciplesandstandardsontherightsofjuvenileoffenderscouldbeevaluatedthroughthe monitoring of trials of juveniles (and eventually other criminal trials involving children). Thecaseload of courts also could be examined with a view to assessing whether the ‘demand’ for aspecializedcourtissufficienttowarrantthecreationofoneinthecapital,wheremorecasesinvolvingjuvenilesarise.Thelogicaltimetodothiswouldbeaftersufficienttimehaspassedtoevaluatetheresultsoffurthereffortstodevelopdiversionandpreventionprogrammes.

Chapter2oftheCodeofCriminalProcedurerecognizestherightsofsuspectsandaccusedpersons,includingthosecontainedinArticle40oftheConventionontheRightsoftheChild.Theassessment

87 Ibid.Homicide(Articles104–109),premeditatedbodilyinjury(Articles112-116),kidnapping(Article131),rapeandviolentsexualabuse(Articles138–139),theft(Article177),robbery(Article176),‘banditry’and‘extortion’(e.g.,theftbyviolenceorthreatofviolence)(Articles175and182),illicitappropriationofavehicle(Article183),aggravateddestructionofproperty(Article185(2)and(3),theftoffirearms,ammunitionorexplosives(Article238),theftofnarcotics(Article269),damagingmeansofpublictransportationorcommunication(Article246),andhooliganism(Article258).

88 Ibid.,Article24.1and24.2;CodeofCriminalProcedure,Article35.1(9).

89 CriminalCode,Article24.3;CodeofCriminalProcedure,Article35.1(9).


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teamreceivednoinformationindicatingthattherewerespecific,significantdifficultiesregardingtherespectoftheseguarantees.

The right to legal assistance

ThePublicDefender’sOfficewasestablishedin2005.Itemploys17full-timeattorneysinthecapitaland20intheprovinces,ofwhom13areemployedfulltime.Inremoteareasattorneysarecontractedon a case-by-case basis, when needed. The salaries of staff attorneys are the same as those ofprosecutors.Mostofthecaseshandledarecriminalcases.Thecaseloadisapproximately67casesper full-timestaffattorneyannually.Therearenoattorneysspecialized incases involving juvenileoffenders (or child victims) and data on the caseload are not disaggregated by the age of clients.Inpractice, free legalassistance isgranted toall juvenilesaccusedofanoffence,butnot juvenilewitnessesandvictims.

The right to be tried without delay

There isno limit to thedurationofdetentiononce the trialbegins.90The lackofsucha limit isnotcompatible with the recommendation made by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2007,to theeffect thatall cases involving juvenilesaccusedofanoffenceshouldbe resolvedwithinsixmonths.91

Sentencing of juvenile offenders – alternative sentences

The most commonly used ‘alternative sentence’ is ‘conditional punishment’, the equivalent of asuspended sentence or probation. It can be imposed when a sentence of imprisonment has beenassigned,butthecourtconcludesthat“thecorrectionoftheconvictispossiblewithoutservingthesentence.”92

TheCriminalCodealsoprovidesforfinesand‘publicwork’(communityservice).93Publicworkmaynotbeimposedonoffendersunderage16atthetimeofsentencing.94Finesmayonlybeimposedonconvictedjuvenileswhohavetheirownincomeorproperty.95

Sentencing of juvenile offenders – custodial sentences

Themaximumlengthofthesentencesthatmaybeimposedonjuvenileoffendersdependsinpartontheageoftheoffenderandthegravityoftheoffence:themaximumsentencefor‘notgrave’offencesisoneyear;forcrimesofmediumgravityitisthreeyears;themaximumforthemostseriouscategoryofcrimescommittedbypersonsunderage16issevenyearsforasingleoffence,andthemaximumforseriousorveryseriousoffencescommittedbyjuvenilesaged16–17yearsistenyears,forasingleoffence.96Thetotalsentenceforjuvenilesconvictedofmultipleoffencesmaynotexceedsevenyearsforjuvenilesaged14–15years,andtenyearsforthoseaged16–17years.97


91 CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,Children’srightsinjuvenilejustice,GeneralCommentNo.10,CRC/C/GC/10,2007,para.83.

92 CriminalCode,Article70.1.

93 Ibid.,Article,49.3,54.



96 Ibid.,Article89.2(3).

97 Ibid.,Article90.2and90.3.


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Inprinciple,anothertypeofsentenceconsistingofashortperiodofimprisonment(fromfifteendaysto three months) can be imposed on juveniles aged 16–17 years, but this sentence has fallen intodisuse,atleastforjuveniles.98

TheDirectoroftheChildren’sSupportCentreinformedtheassessmentteamofacasewhichshedssome light on the way juvenile cases are treated – that of a 14-year-old boy who inflicted severeinjuries with a knife on a 16-year-old boy who had been exploiting him (e.g., demanding moneyunderthreatofviolence)fortwoyears.Theattackwasprovokedbyademandthattheyoungerboyarrange for his sister to provide sexual favours to the older boy. The 14-year-old was prosecutedandsentencedtofouryearsinthejuvenileprison.Hewasnotdetainedpriortotrial,however,andon appeal his sentence was overturned and replaced by a conditional sentence of one year. Hesubsequently benefited from an amnesty, while his ‘victim’ was registered with the police for thebehaviour that led to theoffence.Althoughanecdotalcasesdonotsubstituteacarefulanalysisofsentencingpatterns, theydoprovidesome insight into thewaycourts respond tocases involvingjuveniles.Thiscasesuggeststhatatleastsomejudgesgivesufficientweighttothecircumstancesoftheoffence.Thefactthattheaccusedwasnotdetainedpriortotrialandthatthecourtofappealswaspreparedtooverturnasentencethatitconsidereddisproportionate,alsoisanindicatorofsensitivitytothefundamentalprinciplesunderlyinginternationalstandardsonjuvenilejustice.99

6) The rehabilitation of convicted juveniles

The juvenile correctional facility

The correctional facility for juvenile offenders has a capacity of 100 or more (see below). At thetimeofthevisit,thepopulationwas18,includingfourorfiveprisonersconvictedasjuvenileswhoremainedinthejuvenilefacilityafterreachingage18.Armenianlegislationallowsconvictedjuvenilestoremaininthejuvenilefacilityuntilage21,iftheywish;althoughthestaffencouragethemtostay,manyrequesttobetransferredtoanadultfacility.Noneoftheprisonerswereyoungerthan16years.

Statisticswerenotprovided,butthestaffindicatedthatmostjuvenilesweresentencedfortheft.Thesecondlargestgroupwassentencedforwoundingbyknife.Onewasservingasentenceformurderandoneforrape.Thelongestsentencebeingservedbyajuvenilewassevenyears.Approximately60 to 70 per cent of the prisoners were convicted of offences committed in the capital, althoughmanyofthemareoriginallyfromtheprovinces.

Thejuvenilecorrectionalfacilityisatwo-storeybuildinginbadneedofrepair.Inprinciple,renovationwasscheduledtobeginbeforetheendof2009.Allprisonerssleepinasmallpartofanenormousroomon thesecondfloor.Theyhavesmall individualcabinets for theirpersonalbelongings.Theywearuniforms(simpledarkpants,shirtsandcaps)andarenolongerrequiredtoshavetheirheads.

Thegroundfloor includesa television room,classroomsandworkrooms forvocationaleducation/crafts. All students are required to attend school. The national curriculum is followed. Remedialeducationisnotoffered,assuch,althoughteachersreportedlymakeanefforttohelpthosewhosereading skills are particularly weak.100 There are two classes, one covering grades seven to nine,andtheother,gradestenandeleven.Somenewcomputershavearrivedrecently,buthavenotyetbeen installed.The textbooks inuseareup todateand ingoodcondition,and includea textbook

98 Ibid.,Article57.Suchsentences,knownconfusinglyas‘arrest’,mayonlybeimposedonconvictedpersonswhowerenotdetainedbeforetrial.

99 TherecommendationsoftheReceptionandCrisisInterventionCentrenodoubthelpedensurethisoutcome.

100 Thepsychologistinformedtheassessmentteamthatahighpercentageofthejuvenileprisonersareilliterate.


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onhumanrights.Vocationaltrainingincludes‘radio’andmechanics;craftsincludeart,potteryandtextilesculptures.Somegraduateshavebeenadmittedtotheuniversity.

The students have considerable freedom of movement within the building and surrounding area.Theyhavetherighttoonethree-dayvisitquarterly,inadditiontothefour-hourmonthlyvisit.Therearetwosmallapartmentsforprisonersandvisitingparents.

Regulations allow detention in a disciplinary cell (i.e., solitary confinement) for up to 10 days.101Prisoners accused of a disciplinary infraction may make a statement in writing, according to therelevant regulations. Punishments imposed by the Director of the facility must be in written formandmaybeappealedtotheauthoritiesthatperformsupervisionandoversightofthesentence.Thestaffinformedtheteamthattheyrelymainlyondiscussionsandpersuasiontoresolvedisciplinaryissues,andconfinementinthedisciplinarycellisrare.Solitaryconfinementofjuvenilesisclassifiedascruel,inhumanordegradingbyinternationalstandardsontherightsofjuvenileprisoners.102

Thefunctionsofthepsychologistincludehelpingprisonersanddetaineesdealwithstressandfear,helpingresolveconflictsamongthemandprovidinggrouptherapy.Shehassevenyearsexperienceinthefacility.Theconfidentialityofthepatient-therapistrelationshipisrespected.Inheropinion,theservicesprovidedtosentencedjuvenileshavelittleimpactinreducingre-offending.Concretely,shebelievesthat itmayreducetheriskofoffendingforviolentoffendersfrom‘complete’families,butnottheriskofrepeatinvolvementinpropertycrimesbychildrenfrombrokenfamilies.

Interviews with juvenile prisoners carried out as part of the recent survey tend to confirm theabsenceofill-treatmentinthisfacility,butalsotheweak(ifnotnon-existent)rehabilitativeimpactofconfinementinit:

“The respondents have mentioned that the objective of Abovyan penitentiary is to correct the juveniles. But they were also certain that the environment – the locked doors, the atmosphere of distrust, did not contribute to correction, but the opposite – made juveniles more nervous, aggressive and evil.” 103

Conditional early release (parole)

Prisonersmaybereleasedbeforeservingtheirfullsentence,ifacourtdeterminesthatservingtheremainderof thesentence isnot ‘necessary’ toachieve ‘correction’.104Theportionof thesentencethatmustbeservedbeforeaconvictedjuvenileiseligibleforearlyreleaseisonequarterforminorandmediumcrimes,onethirdforseriouscrimesandonehalfforexceptionallyseriouscrimes.105

Early release must be approved by three different bodies. First, the prison administration mustrecommendthataneligibleprisonerbeconsideredforearlyrelease.Thisrecommendation isbasedprimarilyon theirconductasprisoners,andaveryhighpercentageof juvenileprisoners reportedlyarerecommended.TheCommitteeonEarlyConditionalReleasemustthendecidewhethertoforwardthe recommendation to the competent court. The Committee, established in 2006, is chaired by arepresentativeofthePoliceofRA,andincludesrepresentativesofothergovernmententities(includingtheHumanRightsDefender)andcivilsociety.Thefinaldecisionismadebythecompetentcourt.

101 LawonTreatmentofArresteesandDetainees,Article35.

102 UnitedNationsRulesfortheProtectionofJuvenilesDeprivedoftheirLiberty,Rule67.

103 JuvenileJusticeinArmenia:PerspectiveofChildreninConflictWiththeLaw,p.11.


105 Ibid.,Article94.


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TheroleplayedbytheCommitteeiscontroversial.Theadministrationofthejuvenileprisonisveryconcernedthatahighpercentageofcasesrecommendedbythemforearlyreleasearenottransmittedby the Committee to the court. Some of the prosecutors interviewed criticized the Committee asarbitrary and unnecessary. The Prison Monitoring Group also has criticized the Committee, inparticularthelackofstatedreasonsfordecisionswhich,ineffect,deprivetheprisonerofguidanceandincentivestogoodconduct.However,theheadoftheCommitteeinformedtheassessmentteamthathalfoftherecommendationsreceivedareforwardedtothecourt,aftercarefulconsideration.106Normally,casesofjuvenilesservingtheirfirstsentenceareforwardedtothecourt.HealsoindicatedthattheCommitteewasestablishedtopreventcorruption,aproblemthatisgenerallyrecognizedaswidespread.HealsostatedthatarepresentativeoftheCommitteemeetswiththeprisonerandthatthedecisionbytheCommitteenottoendorsetherecommendationoftheprisonauthoritiescanbeappealed.

Post-release support

Arrangementstosupportjuvenilesaftertheirreleasefromcustodyarealmostinexistent.

Within its ‘Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances’ programme, World Vision Armenia hasestablished a number of community-based centres in 2004–2008 whose primary purpose was tosupport these children. Since 2008, these centres are under the community authorities. Currentlytheyworkmainlywithchildrenwithspecialeducationalneeds,aswellaswithchildren indifficultcircumstances.

A representative of the correctional system stated that almost one third of juveniles in custodyhaveno families to return to,ordonotwant to return to their families.There is clearlyanurgentneed todevelopapolicyandservices for thissmallgroup.Althoughtherearenodataon juvenileoffenderswhore-offendasadults,anecdotalevidencesuggeststhatthepercentageishigh,andtheestablishmentofeffectiveprogrammesofpost-releaseassistanceisessentialtoreducetherateofre-offending.

7) Younger children involved in criminal activity

No law expressly and specifically regulates the treatment of children under the minimum age forprosecutionwhobecome involved in criminalactivity (i.e., anychildunderage14 involved inanyoffence recognized by the Criminal Code and those aged 14–15 years who participate in listedoffences).107 In practice, they are assimilated to children who commit ‘antisocial behaviour’. OnearticleoftheLawonEducationreferstothetreatmentofsuchchildren.108

Article 32 of the 1996 Law on the Rights of the Child provides in part, “The child shall be sent toa special correctional institution only by court on the recommendation of bodies of local self-government.” It appears, however, that this provision of the Law does not apply to any existinginstitution.

The practice seems to be that a small number of children involved in crime while too youngto be prosecuted are sent to the school for children with deviant behaviour, known as ‘Special

106 Dataconcerningthelastthreeyearswereprovided.

107 Childrenunderage16have‘criminalliability’onlyfortheoffenceslistedinArticle24.2oftheCriminalCode.(Seeabove,section5.)

108 LawonEducation,Article3(seebelow).


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SchoolNo.1’,whilemostare‘registered’bytheJuvenilePolice.109Onlychildrenwhohavereachedage 11 are registered. In principle registration lasts for one year, and involves monitoring schoolattendance and one or two visits to the child’s home per month. Some of those registered by thepolicearereferredto theCommunityJusticeCentres,whichoperate insixcities,wheretheyhaveaccess to services that the police are unable to provide (see above). No data are available on thenumberofchildrenwhocommitcrimewhiletooyoungtobeprosecuted,onthenumberofchildrenplacedinthespecialschool,noronthenumberofchildren‘registered’.110

Many of the authorities interviewed pointed out that the substantive criteria and procedures forplacement in thespecial schoolarevague.Theassessment teamwas informed that theMinisterof Education recently adopted an ‘instruction’ indicating that the Guardianship and TrusteeshipCouncilmayplacechildrenintheschool,if itsdecisionisconfirmedbytheChildProtectionUnit.An official of the Ministry of Education subsequently informed UNICEF that the consent of thechild’sparentsorguardianisrequiredforadmission.Itisnotclearwhetherthechildhasarighttobeheardbeforeplacement,asrequiredbyArticle12.2oftheConventionontheRightsoftheChild,orwhatsafeguards,ifany,ensurethattheconsentofparentsorguardiansisinformedandfreelygiven.

Thesmallnumberofchildrenplaced therebecauseof involvement inoffencesgivesno reason topresumethatthe‘lastresort’or‘bestinterests’principlesarenotrespected,andthepoliciesfollowedby this school are clearly designed to respect the rights of children. Nevertheless, the law shouldbe amended to indicate clearly the role and objectives of the school as well as the reasons whychildrenmaybeplacedthere.TheproceduresforplacementalsoshouldbeclarifiedandbroughtintocompliancewiththeConventionontheRightsoftheChild.

The effectiveness of ‘registration’ of young children involved in offending by the Juvenile Policeisunknown.Several sources interviewedexpresseddoubtsabout thevalueof registration,but itsimpactonchildrenandtheirfamilieshasnotbeenevaluated.Althoughregistrationdoesnotinvolvedeprivationofliberty,itmayleadtostigmatizationofregisteredchildren.Whiletheassessmentteamis not in a position to form an opinion on the gravity of this problem, it is clear that all possibleeffortsshouldbemadetoreducetheriskofstigmatization.111

ReferralofyoungchildreninvolvedinoffencestotheCommunityJusticeCentresisagoodpracticethatdeservestobeconsolidatedandcouldserveasamodelforothercountriesintheregion.

TheMinistryofLabourandSocialIssuesalsosupportssomecommunity-basedprojectsaspartofa‘de-institutionalization’programmedesignedtohelpchildrenin‘boardingschools’or‘specialschools’return to their familiesandcommunity.Theassessment teammetwith theheadofanNGOcalledAravot, which implements a project of this kind. Although the objective is de-institutionalization,most of the children assisted by this particular project have a record of offending and antisocialbehaviour.TheNGOhasaninterdisciplinarystaffof12,andhandlesabout50casesperyear.Eachchildistreatedasanindividual,andtheemphasisisonhelpingthechildandhis/herfamily.Asaruleassistanceisprovidedforaperiodofoneyear.

Althoughthisparticularprojecthasnotbeenevaluated,toourknowledge,theDirectorseemedverycompetent and committed. The assessment team believes that community-based groups of this

109 Theschoolmightbeconsidered‘semi-open’sincesomestudentsparticipateinactivitiesincommunity-basedcentres.Theyalsohavetherighttovisittheirfamilies.

110 Thetotalnumberofchildren‘registered’isknown,butmanyareregisteredbecauseof‘antisocialbehaviour’orrisk.

111 See,generally,UnitedNationsStandardMinimumRulesfortheAdministrationofJuvenileJustice(TheBeijingRules),RuleNo.8.


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kindhavethepotentialtoplayausefulroleinsecondaryprevention,diversionandevenalternativesentences.

‘Special schools’ for children with deviant behaviour

Special schools112 are part of the efforts made by the State to assist children at risk of offending;some of the students are children who became involved in offending (especially theft) while tooyoung to be prosecuted, and placement in special schools is a recognized, though seldom used,alternative‘disciplinarymeasure’forjuvenileoffenders.

ThelegislativebasisfortheonlytwospecialschoolsexistinginArmeniaisveryslim:onesentenceintheLawonEducation.113TheseschoolsaregovernedmainlybyinternalregulationsbasedonamodelregulationadoptedbytheMinistryofEducationandSciencein2002.Despitetheabove-mentionedlinkageswithjuvenile justicepolicy,botharedesignedprimarilyforchildreninvolvedin‘antisocialbehaviour’,principallystreetchildren(i.e.,‘vagrants’and‘beggars’underArmenianlegislation),andthoseundertheageofcompulsoryeducation(17years)whohaveabandonedschool.Despitethesecommon purposes, the two schools are very different. One has made impressive advances in thepoliciesappliedandmethodologiesused;intheother,conditionsaresubstandard.

Special School No. 1 in Vardashen

Thisschool is locatedinaverylargethree-storeybuildingbuiltduringthe1970sandtransformed.Initially it was a closed school for boys with ‘deviant behaviour’. In 1996, when the Law on theRightsof theChildwasadopted, itwasdecided to convert it intoanopen facility.Thecapacity isapproximately100students;atthetimeofthevisittherewere31girlsand50boys.Studentsshouldbeaged12–19years,accordingtotheregulations,but inpracticeyoungerstudentsaresometimesadmitted toprevent theseparationofsiblings.114Moststudentsare from thecapital,butoriginallyfromtheprovinces.Mostarestreetchildren,butsomearevictimsofchildabuseplacedintheschoolasaprotectivemeasure.Therearealsosomestudentswhohavebeeninvolvedincriminalactivity–generallytheft–whiletooyoungtobeprosecuted.Theschoolhas70permanentstaff(ofwhichonly25aretechnicalstaff).The2009budgetwasapproximatelyAMD1million(orroughlyUS$2,500)perstudent.

Assistance in reforms of the school was provided by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors withoutBorders)from1997to2004and,subsequently,byWorldVision.Since2004theschooliscooperatingwithWorldVision,andit isenvisagedtodevelopa‘resourcecentre’toshareamongotherschoolsand community-based programmes their experience and methodology of work with children withantisocialbehaviour.Thestudentsarealsoparticipatinginthedevelopmentofmaterials.

The school offers academic classes as prescribed by the national curriculum, vocational training(hair styling, sewing, pottery and auto mechanics), cultural courses and activities (music, arttherapy,song,danceandcircus)aswellassport(football).Thelargestclasshas14students.Staffandstudentsbothreceivepsychologicalcounselling.Intheearlyyears,manystaffweredismissedbecauseofstudents’complaintsofmistreatment.Dormitoryroomsarecleanandpleasantandhouseuptofivestudents.

112 On10Septembertheassessmentteamvisitedthetwo‘specialschools’locatedinsuburbsofthecapital:SpecialSchoolNo.1inVardashenandSpecialSchoolNo.18inNubarashen.

113 LawonEducation,Article3,whichcontainsthefollowingdefinition:“Specialeducation–systemofeducationforpersonswithspecialeducationalneedsandforchildrenwithantisocialbehaviour,whichcanbebasedononeorseveralcurriculaandimplementedinspecialorcommoneducationalinstitutions.”

114 Therewasoneeight-year-oldatthetimeofthevisit.


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Themethodologyappliedincludesmultidisciplinaryteamsandthedevelopmentofindividualplansforeachstudent.Theaimistoestablisharelationshipoftrustwiththestudents,andreturnthemtotheirfamiliesassoonasthestudentandhis/herfamilyareready.Parentsareexpectedtoparticipatein the development of the student’s individual plan. An effort is made to improve parenting skillsthroughparents’groupsledbyastaffpsychologist,providedparentshavenoseriouspsychologicalproblems.Atthesametimetheschoolpreparesthestudentsforindependentlife.In2009,ofthefivestudentswhograduatedfromtheschool,fourenteredtheuniversity.

Permission to leave the school is required, but students are not punished if they leave withoutpermission. In the words of the Director, “If they leave without permission it’s because they haveaproblem,andwetrytohelpthemwithit.” Inthebeginningmanystudentsescaped,butescapesarenolongeraproblem.Ifstudentsareinterestedinavocationalorculturalprogrammenotofferedby the school, the school tries to find an appropriate programme in the community. The views ofchildrenaretakenintoaccountindecidingwheretheyshouldgoafterrelease.115

Thestaffconductbehaviourfollow-upforaperiodofsixmonthswiththestudentswhoreturnhome.Intheirexperience,thechancesofsuccessarebetterwhenchildrenentertheschoolattheageof13or14 years. The Director considers that another kind of programme is needed for older children whoare not interested in attending school. The Ministry of Education and Science plans to establish amonitoringgroupcomposedofrepresentativesofcivilsocietytooverseethefunctioningoftheschool.

Some observers interviewed expressed concern about the mixture of students placed for verydifferentreasons,e.g.,underageoffendersandvictimsofabuse.

Special School No. 18 in Nubarashen

Thisschool isa closed facilityestablished in1963. Ithasacapacityof160and,at the timeof theassessment mission, had a population of 73, including 14 girls, aged 8–17 years. The professionalstaffof34includestwopsychologists,twosocialworkers,twonursesandamedicaldoctor.

Theschoolaimstoreturnchildrentotheirfamilies,accordingtotheDirector,whohasdiscretiontodeterminewhentoreleaseachild.Duringthefirsteightmonthsof2009,fivechildrenwerereturnedto theirparents,one toanotherrelative,andone toanorphanage.Theschool followsupreleasedchildrenforoneyear.

Theschooloffersacademicclassesprescribedbythenationalcurriculum,sports(football,boxing,karateandtennis)andtheatre.Individualandgrouptherapyisprovided,onavoluntarybasis.

Nochildrenhavebeensenttotheschoolbytheregularchannel–adecisionbythelocalGuardianshipandTrusteeshipCouncilconfirmedbythelocalChildProtectionUnit.TheDirectorbelievesstronglythatparentsunabletocarefortheirchildrenhavetherighttoplacethemintheschool;heispreparinganewinternalregulationtothateffect.

Oneoffenderplacedbyjudicialdecisionlefttheschoolin2009,andanotherleftin2008.TheDirectordoes not want convicted offenders in the school because they are a ‘bad influence’ on the otherstudents.

115 TheDirectormentioned,forexample,thattheMinistryofEducationwantedtoreturntwostudentstoanorphanage,buttheydidn’twanttogothereandwerestillintheschool.


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ThebudgetofSpecialSchoolNo.18isAMD48million,notquitehalfthatofSpecialSchoolNo.1.The material conditions of the school are quite poor, the diet is inferior,116 and the clothing of thechildrenseemedtobeinpoorerconditionthanthatofstudentsofSpecialSchoolNo.1.Therehavebeenthreedirectorsduringthelastfiveyears.TheheadsoftherelevantservicesoftheMinistryofEducationandScienceandtheMinistryofLabourandSocial Issuesbelievethattheschoolshouldbeclosed; thePoliceofRAconsider it should remainopenbut ‘reprofiled’.WorldVision,whohasworkedwiththisschoolaswellasSpecialSchoolNo.1,supportstheideaofclosingthisinstitution.

To conclude, it is unacceptable that such major differences between two residential facilities forchildrenhavebeentoleratedforsolong.Eitherpolicyconcerningtheirroleandnecessarycapacityshould be reviewed without further delay – and legislation adopted in line with internationalstandardstodefinetheiraims,therightsandstatusofstudentsandtheirfamiliesaswellascriteriaforadmissionandreturntoparents–ortheyshouldbeclosed.

116 Judgingbythelunchesbeingservedthedayofthevisit.


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PART III. UNICEF’s Support to Juvenile Justice Reform

The situation analysis

In2001UNICEFhiredaninternationalconsultanttoprepareasituationanalysisonjuvenileoffendingandjuvenilejustice.Thefocusofthesituationanalysiswasverybroad,includingissuessuchasdruguse, traffickingof childrenandstreet children.Theanalysisof trends inoffendingwasoverbroad,focusinglargelyoncrimeingeneral,includingthatcommittedbyadults.Oneconclusion,regardingan ‘explosion of petty theft’, is not confirmed by official data and presumably is based on theimpressions of authorities interviewed. This less than rigorous approach to data represents a lostopportunity to educate the authorities on the importance of basing policies regarding prevention,rehabilitationandlawenforcementonreliableandobjectivedataonoffendingbyjuveniles.

Many of the recommendations made were relevant and valid: coordination should be improvedamongst concerned actors at the national level; training in child rights should be provided; NGOsshould be given a larger role; separate juvenile courts (or juvenile/family courts) should beestablished;atwo-monthlimitshouldbesetforpretrialdetentionofaccusedjuveniles;placementinspecialschoolsshouldbelimitedto12months;anddecisionstoremovechildrenfromtheirhomesshould be subject to judicial review. Some progress has been made in implementing a few of themoregeneralrecommendations,inparticulartraininginchildrightsandgivingNGOsalargerroleincertainaspectsofjuvenilejustice.

TheideathatCommissionsonMinorsshouldplayanimportantroleinjuvenilejusticewasendorsedby the situation analysis. The government, as indicated above, opted to reduce the role of theCommissions(transformedintoGuardianshipandTrusteeshipCouncils)andassignpreventiveandother community-based functions related to juvenile offenders to the municipal Child ProtectionUnits and, to some extent, the Community Justice Centres. The course of action chosen by theauthoritieswasappropriate,intheopinionoftheassessmentteam.

The situation analysis did not lead to the adoption of a UNICEF programme to support juvenilejusticereform,but rather tosome limitedmainstreamingof juvenile justiceconcerns into itsChildProtectionProgramme.Consequently,adetailedassessmentofUNICEF’sroleinsupportingjuvenilejusticewouldbepremature.

Activities supported as part of the Child Protection Programme

Some of the activities supported by UNICEF’s Child Protection Programme can be seen as relatedtothepreventionofoffendingthroughassistancetochildrenatrisk.Community-basedservicesforstreetchildrenoperatedbythemunicipalgovernmentofthecapitalarethemostimportantexample.UNICEFwasinstrumentalintheestablishmentofsuchservices,whichhaveprovedtobesustainableandarewidelyviewedassuccessful.Unfortunately,theimpactofthisprojectonoffendinghasnotbeendocumented.

Support to training in child rights included activities directed to police officers, judges and staffof the correctional facility for juveniles. In 2003, for example, more than 100 judges throughoutthe country participated in activities related to international standards on juvenile justice and thepertinentprovisionsofthenewCriminalCode.Professionalguidelinesandcodesofconductdealingindirectlywithjuvenilejusticealsohavebeendevelopedandincorporatedintotrainingcurriculaforpoliceandsocialworkers.

Advocacy by UNICEF helped to ensure that the National Plan of Action for the Protection of theRights of the Child 2004–2015 includes a substantial set of relevant objectives regarding juvenile


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justice.UNICEFalsoparticipatedintheprocessofdraftingtheCriminalCodeadoptedin2003(seePartIon‘Lawreform’),althoughtheassessmentteamwasunabletodiscoveranyinformationaboutthepositionssupportedbyUNICEFor the influence ithad in thedraftingprocess. In2007,UNICEFsupported the work of a team of national experts and one international expert who developed a‘concept’onprobation,designedtofacilitatecommunity-basedrehabilitationofoffenders.Thusfarnoprobationservicehasbeenestablished.

UNICEFalsosupportedthecollectionofdataonjuvenilejustice,intheframeworkoftheTransMONEEproject.Datamanagementremainsweak,however,andlittleornodataarepublishedregularly.

Conclusion

UNICEF’s approach to juvenile justice during the time between the situation analysis and theassessmentmission (2001–2009)wasnotstrategic, in thesense that itwasnotbasedonaclearlyidentified set of long- and medium-term objectives, assessment of risks and opportunities,identification of a comprehensive set of activities and agreement as to the roles of diversecounterpartsetc.

At least one of the activities supported – probation – did not produce the expected results (atleast, not thus far). No programme is ever 100 per cent successful and this failure does not seemparticularlysignificant.Thetrainingundertakenhasundoubtedlycontributedtosomeof themajoraccomplishmentsdescribedelsewhere,suchasthedecreasingnumberofjuvenilesservingcustodialsentences, the Community Justice Centres, and others. Other activities supported by UNICEF,such as the preparation of a new Criminal Code, have helped bring law and practice into greaterconformity with the relevant international standards, although the information available does notallowidentifyingtheextentofUNICEF’scontributioninthisarea.

What can be said with certainty is that no investments made by UNICEF were wasted; and nosupport was given to activities that were counterproductive, poorly conceived or based on amisunderstandingoftherelevantinternationalstandards.Theactivitiessupportedduringthisperiodhave given UNICEF credibility with relevant partners who look forward to closer cooperation withthe organization. In short, they have put UNICEF in a good position to develop and implement, incooperation with government, non-governmental and international partners, a strategically basedprogrammeonjuvenilejustice.


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PART IV. Conclusions and Recommendations

Theconclusionsoftheassessmentteamarepresentedintwoparts:thefirstconcernstheimportantadvances that have been made in bringing juvenile justice into compliance with internationalstandards,andthesecondconcernsthenolessimportantchallengesthatremaintobefaced.

POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS

1. Prevention

ANationalProgrammeforthePreventionofCrimewasadopted,andcontainsactivitiesspecificallyrelatedtojuveniles.Significantprogresshasbeenmadeinimplementingthecomponentsconcerningjuveniles. The Community Justice Centres established under this Programme provide secondarypreventiontochildrenaged9–16yearsreferredbyschoolsaswellastertiaryprevention(preventionofre-offending).Theresultshavebeenpositive.

TheChildProtectionUnits, theChildren’sSupportCentreandsomede-institutionalizationprojectssupported by the Ministry of Labour and Social Issues also provide valuable assistance to somechildrenatriskofoffendingorre-offendingandtheirfamilies,althoughthisisnottheirprimaryaim.

TheJuvenilePoliceareawareofandcommittedtochildrights,andsupportandparticipateinsomevaluablepreventiveactivities.

2. Police and investigative custody

Thelegalrequirementthatanattorneybepresentwhenjuvenilesuspectsareinterrogatedorinvolvedinanypretrialproceedingsmaynotbewaived,andisgenerallyrespected.Courtssometimesexcludeevidenceobtainedfromjuvenilesthroughinterrogationsthatdonotcomplywiththisrequirement.

TherightofthePoliceMonitoringGrouptovisitpolicedetentioncentreshashelpedpreventabuseofjuvenilesdetainedthereanddetectabusecommittedinpolicestations.

3. Diversion

SixCommunityJusticeCentresprovidecommunity-based, restorative justice for childrenaccusedof minor offences diverted by the police. There is some evidence that the services provided areeffectiveinpreventingre-offending.

4. Detention of accused juveniles

Onceajuvenileisaccusedofanoffence,onlyacourtmayorderdetention.Thoseaccusedofminoroffencesmaynotbedetained,andpretrialdetentionordersareonlyvalidfortwomonths(butcanberenewed–seebelow).

Physicalconditionsinthepretrialdetentionfacilityhavegreatlyimproved.

5. Legal assistance

Juvenilesuspectshavetherighttolegalassistanceasfromthemomentofdetention,andaccusedjuvenilesfromthemomentchargesarefiled.Thisrightappearstobegenerallyrespected.ThereisaPublicDefender’sOfficewhich,althoughitdoesnothaveattorneysspecializedincasesinvolvingchildren,doesprovideservicestoaccusedjuvenilesbeforeandduringtrial,freeofcharge.


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6. Adjudication

Theminimumageforadjudication(‘ageofcriminalliability’)complieswiththerecommendationoftheCommitteeontheRightsoftheChild.

Accusedjuvenilesmustberepresentedbyanattorney,andhavetherighttofreelegalassistance.

7. Sentencing

The maximum sentences that can be imposed on juveniles of different ages for different kinds ofoffencesarewithintherangecommonthroughouttheregion(10yearsforthemostseriousoffencescommittedbyolderjuveniles).117

Thenumberofjuvenilesgivencustodialsentencesfrom2005to2008variedbetween29in2007to56in2008.Thisrepresentsfrom16to31percentofthejuvenilesconvictedannually.Thenumberofjuvenilesgivensentencesoffiveyearsormoreduringthoseyearsvariedfromfourjuvenilesin2006totwojuvenilesin2008.

Themostcommonlyused‘alternativesentence’istheconditionalsentence.

8. Juvenile correctional facility

Convictedjuvenilesattendschoolwithinthefacilityandparticipateinvocationaltrainingandculturalactivities. Cooperation between the administration and NGOs enriches the programmes available.Juveniles have considerable freedom of movement within the building and surrounding grounds,andparticipateinsports.Theservicesofapsychologistandsocialworkerareavailable.Disciplinaryproblemsareusuallyresolvedbydiscussionandawarning.

9. Younger children involved in criminal behaviour

A wide range of alternatives, including supervision by the Juvenile Police and referral to theCommunity Justice Centres, are used to respond to children who get involved in criminal activitybeforeage14.SomeareplacedinSpecialschoolNo.1,which(unlikeSpecialschoolNo.18describedbelow in thesectionon ‘Challenges’)providespositivesupport inasemi-open residential setting.Othersareplacedtemporarily intheChildren’sSupportCentre,whichalsooffersabroadrangeofrelevantservicesandfollowschild-friendlypolicies.

10. Law reform

TheLawon theRightsof theChild contains twoarticleson juvenile justice.TheCodeofCriminalProcedureandtheCriminalCodeadoptedin1998and2003,respectively,madeimportantchangestothelawconcerningjuvenileoffenders.SomeadditionalimprovementsweremadeinamendmentstotheCodeofCriminalProcedurein2001and2006,andstillothersareunderconsiderationatthiswriting.

11. Training

Training inchildrightshasbeen institutionalized in thePoliceAcademy.Annual in-servicetrainingis obligatory for both judges and prosecutors, and issues concerning juvenile justice have beenincorporatedintosuchtraining.Prisonstaffalsohaveparticipatedinad hoctraininginchildrights.

117 Thereisnointernationalstandardontheacceptablelengthofcustodialsentencesforjuvenileoffenders.


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12. Coordination

An interministerial National Commission for Child Protection has been established, and one of itsfunctionsistopromotecooperationbetweenthecompetentauthoritiesandcivilsocietywithregardtothepreventionofoffendingbyjuveniles.

13. Accountability

AHumanRightsDefender’sOfficehasbeenestablished.ThePrisonMonitoringGroupandthePoliceMonitoringGrouphaveaccesstoallplaceswherejuvenilesmaybedeprivedofliberty,exceptpolicestationsandspecialeducationalfacilities.

14. Data and research

DetaileddataarerecordedbythePoliceofRA,theJudicialDepartment,thePenitentiaryDepartmentandtheGeneralProsecutor’sOffice.

CHALLENGES

1. Prevention

The effectiveness of the Community Justice Centres has not been evaluated, and the governmenthasnotmadeacommitmenttofinancingthemwheninternationalfundingendsin2010.

The Child Protection Units are still in the process of developing their work methods, and theirresourcesaremodest,especiallygiventheirverybroadmandate.

The role and continued existence of the ‘special schools’ has been under debate for years. Legalcriteriaandproceduresforplacementare ill-defined,andchildrenareplacedinoneof theschoolsthroughchannelsthatareobscure.

Although the National Programme for the Prevention of Crime contains elements on offending byjuveniles,theseelementsdonotrepresentacomprehensiveapproachtothepreventionofoffendingbychildrenbasedonresearchoncausationandontheeffectivenessofexistingactivities.


The physical abuse of juvenile suspects by the police has not been eliminated, as confirmed byrecent information concerning the use of techniques, including electric shock, obtained from thePoliceMonitoringGroupduringtheassessmentmission.

Thedetentionofchildrenfor72hoursisnotcompatiblewiththeGeneralCommentoftheCommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,whichin2007statedthatthisshouldnotexceed24hours.118Keepingchildsuspectsinpolicecustodyfor72hourswithoutacourtorderincreasestheriskofabuse.

3. Diversion

Legislative basis for diversion seems adequate. The main issue is the tentative existence of theCommunityJusticeCentres,designedtoreducetheriskofre-offending,whichprovideservicestojuvenilesdivertedbythepolice.

118 Everychildarrestedanddeprivedofhis/herlibertyshouldbebroughtbeforeacompetentauthoritytoexaminethelegalityof(thecontinuationof)thisdeprivationoflibertywithin24hours.SeeCommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,GeneralCommentNo.10,CRC/C/GC/10,para.83.


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4. Detention of accused juveniles

Thelegislationconcerningthedetentionofaccusedjuvenilesdoesnotclearlyidentifythefactorsthatmayjustifydeprivationofliberty,northeprinciplethatdeprivationoflibertymayonlybeorderedasa‘lastresort’.

Themaximumlengthofdetentionbeforeandduringtrial(i.e.,detentionasa‘preventivemeasure’)exceeds the six months recommended by the Committee on the Rights of the Child.119 Juveniledetaineesexperiencemuchgreaterrestrictiononlibertythanjuvenileprisonersandhavenoaccesstoeducationalorrecreationalactivities.

Disciplinary sanctions do not comply with international standards (although practice seems moreconsistentwiththemthanregulations).Inparticular,thelegislationauthorizessolitaryconfinementforuptofivedays.

5. Legal assistance

Therearenopublicdefendersspecializedindefendingaccusedjuveniles(norinlitigatingcriminalorcivilcasesinvolvingchildren),andthestaffofthePublicDefender’sOfficehavenotraininginchilddevelopment,childpsychology,interviewingchildrenandtherightsofthechild.ThemandateofthePublicDefenderdoesnotextendtochildvictimsandwitnesses.

6. Adjudication

Thereisnolimittothelengthoftrialsinvolvingjuvenileoffenders.Thelegislationdoesnotrequirethattrialsofjuveniledefendantsbeheldinclosedcourt,andinpracticetheyareoftenopentothepublic.

Nojudgesareespeciallyselected,designatedandtrainedtohandletrialsinvolvingaccusedjuveniles(orchildvictims),andnocourtshavecourtrooms,waitingroomsorentrancesdesignedtobechildfriendly.

7. Sentencing

Sentencesofcommunityservicearerarelyused,andformsofcommunityservice thatwouldhelpjuvenileoffendersobtainusefulworkexperiencedonotexist.


There is no clear policy or understanding of how to approach the essential task of any juvenilecorrectional facility, i.e., assisting offenders to overcome or manage the problems that led tooffending and, if unsolved, will lead to re-offending. (This is in contrast to the situation in non-correctional facilities such as the Children’s Support Centre and Vardashen Special School No. 1,whichdoapplyspecificapproachestothepreventionofoffendingandre-offending.)

A psychologist with a caseload of some 250 persons – like the psychologist in the Abovyanpenitentiary institution – cannot be expected to contribute significantly to the rehabilitation ofoffenders. Disciplinary sanctions used in this facility are not compatible with international norms(although practice seems more consistent with them than regulations). In particular, legislationallowstheuseofsolitaryconfinementasadisciplinarymeasure,whichtheUnitedNationsRuleson

119 “TheCommittee,consciousofthepracticeofadjourningcourthearings,oftenmorethanonce,urgestheStatespartiestointroducethelegalprovisionsnecessarytoensurethatthecourt/juvenilejudgeorothercompetentbodymakesafinaldecisiononthechargesnotlaterthansixmonthsaftertheyhavebeenpresented.”Ibid.


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theProtectionofChildrenDeprivedoftheirLibertyconsidersaformof“cruel,inhumanordegradingtreatment.”120

9. ‘Special schools’

Thedomesticlegalbasisforplacingchildrenin‘specialschools’isvague,bothintermsofsubstantivecriteriaandintermsofprocedures.Sincechildrenarenotallowedtoleaveatwill,placementthereconstitutesadeprivationofliberty(HavanaRules),whichshouldonlybeallowedbyjudicialdecisionandperiodically reviewed,basedon the ‘last resort’principleand thedeterminationof the child’s‘best interests’. In Armenia, there are no express legal requirements on informed consent forplacement,onproceduresfor takingtheviewsofchildren intoaccountandtheweight tobegivento their views, on how the primary responsibility of parents for raising children should be takenintoaccountinplacementdecisions,norontherighttoappealinvoluntaryplacementtoacourt.Inaddition,conditionsintheclosedSpecialSchoolNo.18aresubstandard,andthepoliciesfollowed–inparticularlyregardingadmission–donotmeetinternationalstandardsontherightsofchildren.

10. Law reform

Existing legislation contains a number of provisions that are incompatible with internationalstandards,suchasthoseauthorizingsolitaryconfinement,allowingpolicetodetainjuvenilesuspectsforupto72hourswithoutacourtorder,andtoleratingpretrialdetentionofaccusedjuvenilesforaslong as a year. No less important are critical gaps in existing legislation, such as the absence ofreferences to the ‘last resort’and ‘best interests’principles,and the lackof clearstandards in thelegislationconcerningspecialschools.

11. Training

Theeffectivenessoftraininginchildrightshasnotbeenevaluatedand,ingeneral,thecontentandaimsoftrainingcomponentsconcerningtherightsofthechilddonotseemtohavebeenbasedonaclearunderstandingoftheneedsofthetargetpopulations.

12. Accountability

The safeguards designed to prevent physical abuse of juvenile suspects, detainees and prisonersappeartobemoreeffectivewithregardtopretrialdetaineesandconvictedjuvenileprisonersthanwithsuspectsinpolicecustody.Reportedcasesofabusearenotinvestigatedwithallduerigor.TheHumanRightsDefenderdoesnotpaysufficientattentiontoissuesconcerningjuvenilejustice.

13. Coordination

Inpracticethereisnosystematiccoordinationbetweenthedifferentstatebodiesinvolvedinjuvenilejustice,norbetweenthemandcivilsociety.


Thereisnolackofinformationaboutthesocialbackgroundofoffenders,butnoresearchhasbeencarriedoutonthecausationofoffending,ontheimpact(positiveornegative)ofdifferentsanctionson juvenileoffenders,onrecidivismorontheeffectivenessofdifferentmethodsorapproachestopreventionandrehabilitation.

120 “Alldisciplinarymeasuresconstitutingcruel,inhumanordegradingtreatmentshallbestrictlyprohibited,includingcorporalpunishment,placementinadarkcell,closedorsolitaryconfinementoranyotherpunishmentthatmaycompromisethephysicalormentalhealthofthejuvenileconcerned.”UnitedNationsRulesontheProtectionofChildrenDeprivedoftheirLiberty,Rule63.


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RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Prevention

Anassessmentshouldbemadeoftheeffectivenessofexistinginstitutionsandprogrammesforthepreventionofoffendingandre-offending.Theassessmentshouldhavebothshort-termandlonger-termobjectives.Theshort-termobjectivesshouldaimtogeneratetheinformationneededtorevisethe existing approach to prevention, as set forth in the National Programme for the Prevention ofCrime, and to take decisions that need to be made in the near future regarding, for example, theconsolidation of the Community Justice Centres, the Legal Socialization Project and the specialschools(seebelow).Thelonger-termobjectiveshouldaimtoestablishabase-linethatcanbeusedtoevaluatetheeffectivenessofpreventionpoliciesinyearstocome.

Apreventionpolicyorstrategymustaddresstheneedsofdifferentcategoriesofchildren:thosewhobecomeinvolvedincriminalbehaviourwhiletooyoungtobetreatedasoffenders(i.e.,undertheageof‘criminalliability’)andthosewhoshowsignsofariskofinvolvementincriminalactivity,butwhohavenotyetbeenidentifiedassuspectsofaccusedofcrimes.Itisparticularlyimportanttodevelopeffectivemethods for identifyingchildrenat riskduringearlyadolescenceandchildhood,becauseresearchindicatestheyaremorelikelytobecomeserious,violentoffendersduringadolescence,andtocontinueoffendingafterbecomingadults.Italsoisimportanttodevelopmoreaccuratetoolsthattake intoaccount the linkagesbetweendifferentsocial factorsassociatedwithhigher risk,aswellas‘protectivefactors’,whichcanhelptargetpreventiveactivities.Forchildrenandadolescentswhoareatriskbuthavenotyetbecomeinvolvedincriminalactivityandforthosewhohavebutaretooyoung tobeprosecutedasoffenders,preventionshould,wheneverpossible,bevoluntary, involvethechild’sfamilyaswellasthechildhimself/herself,andprovideassistancewithoutremovingthechildfromhis/herenvironment(community,homeandschool).

1bis. The ‘special schools’

Legislationshouldbeadoptedexplainingthepurposesofthespecialschool(s)andthecriteriaandproceduresforplacementofdifferentcategoriesofstudents.Totheextentplacementisvoluntary,procedures must be clarified to ensure that the consent of parents or guardians is informed, andto guarantee that children concerned are able to express their own views freely and effectively.121Theweight tobegivento theviewsofparentsandchildrenshouldbedefined,andthecriteria foradmissionandaimsoftreatmentshouldbespecifiedintermsofthebestinterestsofthechildandthe principle that parents have primary responsibility for raising children.122 Linkages should bestrengthened with community-based programmes that provide assistance to families in crisis andsupportforthesocialreintegrationofchildren.


The law should limit to 24 hours the authority of the police to detain without a court order, incompliancewiththerecommendationoftheCommitteeontheRightsoftheChild.123Thisdoesnotnecessarilymeanthattheperiodfordeterminingwhethertochargeasuspectwithanoffencemustbe reduced. Although the two issues are linked at present in Armenian law, the issue of whethertherearecompellinggroundsfordetainingajuvenilesuspectformorethan24hourswhileacrime

121 SeeConventionontheRightsoftheChild,Articles9.1and12.2.

122 Ibid.,Articles3.1,12.2and18.2.

123 CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,GeneralCommentNo.10,CRC/C/GC/10,para.83.(In2003,theCommitteeofMinistersoftheCouncilofEuroperecommendedtomemberstatesthatjuvenilesshouldnotbedetainedinpolicecustodyforlongerthan48hours.Rec(2003)20concerningnewwaysofdealingwithjuveniledelinquencyandtheroleofjuvenilejustice,para.15.)


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isbeinginvestigatedisinherentlydifferentfromtheissueofwhetherthereissufficientevidencetochargehim/herwithanoffence,andacourtcouldconsiderthesetwoissuesseparately,indifferentproceedings.

Althoughthepracticeistoassigncasesinvolvingjuvenilestoseniorinvestigators,thepossibilityofdesignatingcertaininvestigatorstobecomespecializedincriminalcasesinvolvingjuvenilesshouldbeconsidered,atleastindistrictswherethenumberofcasesissufficientlyhigh.

3. Diversion

TheworkoftheCommunityJusticeCentresshouldbeevaluatedand,iftheresultsarepositive,long-termfundingshouldbeguaranteedandthenetworkofcentresshouldbeexpandedgradually.DataontheeffectivenessoftheCentresshouldbecompiledand,induecourse,shouldbeanalysedwithaviewtoidentifyingthekindofcasesinwhichdiversionismostlikelytobeeffectiveandwhethertheadvantagesofdiversionarebeingfullyexploited.

4. Detention of accused juveniles before and during trial

Thelawshouldbechangedtolimittosixmonthstheamountoftimethatjuvenilesmaybedetainedbeforeandduringtrial,inordertocomplywiththerecommendationoftheCommitteeontheRightsoftheChild.124

The right of juveniles in detention to continue their education and to participate in sports andrecreational activities should be respected. Although there may be valid reasons for preventingcontactbetweencertaindetainees,participationineducationalandrecreationalactivitiescouldbedonebyorganizinggroupsofdetaineesforthesepurposesinsuchawaythatindividualswhomustbekeptseparateareindifferentgroups.

Theassessmentteamalsobelievesthatconsiderationshouldbegiven,induecourse,totransferringthejuvenilepretrialdetentionunittothebuildingusedforjuvenilesservingsentences,whichismuchlargerthannecessaryforthesmallpopulationofconvictedprisonersandispendingrenovation.Thiswouldfacilitatetheparticipationofdetaineesineducational,culturalandrecreationalactivitiesand,giventhelargesizeofthebuilding,couldbedonewhilehousingconvictedandunconvictedjuvenilesinseparateunits.Theprinciplethataccusedpersonsshouldbeseparatedfromconvictedpersonsisintendedforthosewhobenefitfromthepresumptionofinnocence,andshouldnotbeimplementedtothedisadvantageofunconvicteddetainees.

5. Specialized courts and procedures

AlthoughtheCommitteeontheRightsoftheChildhasrecommendedthatArmeniaestablishjuvenilecourts,italsorecognizesthat,wheretheestablishmentofjuvenilecourtsisnotimmediatelyfeasibleforpracticalreasons,theStateshouldappointspecializedjudgesfordealingwithcasesinvolvingaccusedjuveniles.125TheassessmentteambelievesthatdesignatingspecificjudgestohandlecasesinvolvingjuvenileoffendersinallcourtsthathearsuchcasesandothercasesinvolvingcrimesagainstchildrenonaregularbasisisthemostfeasibleandadequatesolutionforArmeniaintheshortterm.Inthelongerterm,theneedforaspecializedchildren’scourtshouldbereassessedbyevaluatingthewayspecializedjudgescarryouttheirduties,andcalculatingthenumberandgeographicdistributionofjuvenilecasesand other cases, which it might be appropriate to include in the jurisdiction of a specialized court(e.g.,casesinvolvingchildvictims,orpossiblycasesinvolvingchildsupportorparentalcustody).

124 CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,GeneralCommentNo.10,CRC/C/GC/10,para.83.

125 Ibid.,para.93.


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Theexperienceofsomeothercountriesindicatesthatthewaycourtshandlecasesinvolvingjuvenileoffendersdependsonthespecializationofprosecutorsaswellas thespecializationof judges.Theassessment team believes that the designation of prosecutors especially selected and trained tohandlecasesinvolvingjuvenilesonaregularbasiswouldalsohelpensureproperapplicationofthelawandprinciplesconcerningtherightsofchildren.

ThenewCodeofCriminalProcedure,nowbeingamended,shouldbemadewhollycompliantwiththerightsofchildrenand internationallyrecognizedprinciplesregarding juvenile justice.Forexample,thelawshouldprovidethattheprivacyofaccusedjuvenilesberespectedbyclosingproceedingstothepublic.126

6. Sentencing

Sourcesinterviewedbytheassessmentteambelievethatsomeconvictedjuvenilesreceivecustodialsentencesthataretooharshinthecircumstances,orreceivecustodialsentenceswhenanalternativesentencewouldbemoreappropriate.Inanysocietydifferentpersonswillhavedifferentviewsontheappropriatenessofsentencesmetedoutbythecourts,buttheassessmentteamhasnotseendataorother information that clearly indicateapatternof failure to respectandapply the ‘last resort’,‘shortest appropriate period of time’ and ‘best interests’ principles in the sentencing of convictedjuveniles.

The assessment team nevertheless recommends that data should be collected and analysed onthe impact (positiveandnegative)ofcustodialandalternativesentencesonconvicted juveniles inordertoenablejudges,prosecutorsandotherauthoritiestoreviewtheirpracticeandpoliciesinthelightofinformationonthedemonstratedresultsofdifferentkindsofsentencesondifferentkindsofoffenders.

Theassessmentteamalsorecommendsthatthepossibilityofdevelopingprogrammesforcommunityservicebeconsidered.


Renovationofthephysicalinfrastructureshouldbedoneurgently.

Aclearerapproachto therehabilitationofoffenders isneeded,andtheprocessofdevelopingoneshouldbegin.Thisprocessshouldhave threecomponents: improvingdatacollectionandanalysis(e.g., on repeat offending, on the personal background and psychological profiles of offenders);exchanging experiences between correctional and non-correctional facilities (such as VardashenSpecial School No. 1 and the FAR Children’s Support Centre); and developing technical capacity(e.g., tools for psychosocial evaluation of prisoners’ conditions, knowledge of relevant skills andmethodologiesetc.).

8. Law reform

The draft Code of Criminal Procedure will soon be made available for comment. It is importantto scrutinize it closely for compliance with international standards and with a view to introducingprovisions designed to solve existing difficulties or shortcomings in a way that is adapted toArmenian realities. Some of the most important changes, in the opinion of the assessment team,includethefollowing:requiringacourtorder tokeep juveniles inpolicecustodybeyond24hours;limiting the length of pretrial detention to six months; expressly recognizing the ‘last resort’principle in legislation regarding thedetentionof juvenilesbefore trial; removingany reference to

126 “TheCommitteerecommendsthatallStatespartiesintroducetherulethatcourtandotherhearingsofachildinconflictwiththelawbeconductedbehindcloseddoors.”Ibid.,para.66.


41

the idea that all juveniles in pretrial detention should be kept in isolation; prohibiting the use ofsolitaryconfinementasadisciplinarymeasureforjuveniledetaineesorprisoners;andclarifyingthesubstantiveandproceduralcriteriaconcerningtheplacementofchildreninspecialschoolsandotherresidentialfacilities,suchastheChildren’sSupportCentre.

Manyoftheexistinglegalprovisionsthatareincompatiblewithinternationalstandardsconcerningjuvenile justice apply to juveniles and adults alike. This reveals a weakness of basing a system ofjuvenile justice mainly on legislation applicable to both juveniles and adults, such as the CriminalCode,theCodeofCriminalProcedureandtheCriminalExecutiveCode.Althoughitisrelativelyeasyto add to such codes sections, chapters or provisions that meet international standards, generalprovisions not designed to meet the special needs and characteristics of juveniles sometimes– perhaps often – contravene international standards. Framework laws specifically on juvenilejustice tend tobemoreeffectiveas thebasis fora juvenile justice system that is compatiblewithinternationalstandards,andmoreeffectiveinsettingupagenuinesystem,thatis,acoherentsystemthatcoversallaspectsof juvenilejustice,frompreventiontoreintegrationintothecommunity.Forthis reason, theassessment team recommends that considerationbegiven to thedevelopmentofsuchalawattheappropriatetime.

9. Training

Aconsiderableamountoftraininginchildrightsandjuvenilejusticehastakenplaceinrecentyears,and knowledgeable and competent trainers exist. In most sectors, however, training has not beenincorporatedpermanentlyintocurriculaanditsimpacthasnotbeenevaluated.Insome,inparticularthejudiciaryandprosecutors,theneedforfurthertrainingdependstosomeextentonotherreforms;if specialized judges and prosecutors are designated, they should receive special training. In thisparticulararea,theassessmentteamrecommendsthattrainedobserversmonitortheeffectivenessofthedesignationofjudges(andideallyprosecutors)oneyearaftertheirappointment.

Trainingprogrammesneedtobedevelopedinvarioussectors,suchasthepreventionofoffendingandre-offending(rehabilitationofoffenders);thepsychologyofoffendersandtheskillsneededtodocriminologicalresearch;andthetreatmentofchildrenwhoarevictimsofcrimesorwitnessestocrimes.Thistopicshouldbepartofthetrainingbecausethevictimsofmanycrimescommittedbyjuvenilesarechildrenoradolescents.

Methodsforevaluatingtheusefulnessoftraining,andifpossibletheimpact ithashadonthewayprofessionalsperformtheirjobs,shouldbedevelopedandapplied.Differenttoolscouldbeusedforthispurpose,includingself-reportingandsurveysofkeyinformants,includingchildren.

Thecontentoftrainingprogrammesshouldbeupdatedonanongoingbasis,reflectchangesinthelawandincorporatethemostrecentdataandresearchcarriedoutinArmenia.

10. Accountability

TheHumanRightsDefendershouldestablishaunitspecializedinchildrights,whichshoulddevoteattentiontothetreatmentofjuvenilesuspects,detaineesandprisoners.

11. Coordination

A body is needed that develops, coordinates and oversees all aspects of juvenile justice, frompreventiontoreinsertionafterrelease.Inadditiontotherelevantministries,itshouldincludebodiesthat are not part of the executive (e.g., the Human Rights Defender, the judiciary, possibly one ormore commissions of the National Assembly) and representatives of civil society. Internationalorganizationsalsocouldbeinvitedtoparticipate,asobservers.


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Theauthorities responsible for investigatingviolationsof the rightsof juvenile suspects,accused,detaineesandprisonersshouldinvestigatediligentlyallreportedcasesofabuse,andimposeorseekadministrative or penal sanctions that will help break the culture of impunity, which still persistsinsomesectors.Achieving this is inessenceaquestionofpoliticalwill thatdoesnot requirenewprogrammesorlegislation.


Themostrelevantindicatorsconcerningjuvenilejusticeshouldbeidentified,andthecorrespondingdata should be published annually. This would help ensure the reliability of data, facilitateanalysisbydecisionsmakers inallbranchesofgovernment(theexecutive, legislatureandcourts),ensure transparency and encourage academia and civil society to participate more actively in thedevelopmentofabetterjuvenilejusticesystem,moreeffectiveandadaptedtothechangingneedsofArmeniansociety.Suchindicatorsmightinclude,forexample,dataonoffencesattributedtochildrentooyoungtobeprosecuted;dataonre-offending,whetherasajuvenileorafterreachingadulthood;anddataonpretrialdetention.

Theplannedsurveyoftheexperiencesandviewsofadolescentsregardingjuvenilejustice,carriedoutwiththesupportofOSCEandUNICEF,willcertainlycontributeusefulinformation.TheConventionontheRightsoftheChildprovidesthattheviewsandexperiencesofchildrenshouldbetakenintoaccountinallmattersthatconcernthem,andthisisasvalidforjuvenilejusticeasforotherareasofnationallife.

The scarcity of research on the causes of offending and the impact of different programmes andmeasuresonoffendersisstriking.Dataontheage,sexandsocialbackgroundofoffenders,andoncertaincircumstancesregardingthecommissionoftheoffence(e.g.,commissioninagrouporundertheinfluenceofalcohol)continuetobecompiled,usingindicatorsdevelopedbeforeindependence.The social factors that are associated with a higher risk of offending are well documented, butthereislittleornoresearchonspecificcausalorprotectivemechanismsatwork.Reliableempiricalinformationisneededtoresolvemanypolicyquestions.Althoughthenumberofjuvenileoffendersissmall,ifthedevelopmentofmoreeffectiveapproachespreventsanumberofthemfromcontinuingto commit increasingly frequent and serious crimes throughout adolescence and adulthood, themodestinvestmentsneededforresearchofthiskindwouldbemoneywellspent.

13. UNICEF

UNICEF can and should play a supportive role in the implementation of most of the precedingrecommendations. Advocacy will be necessary in most of these areas, mainly advocacyfor the establishment of a national juvenile justice coordination mechanism, for law reform, forthedesignationofspecializedjudgesandprosecutors, for improvements indatacollection, forthestrengtheningoftheofficeoftheombudsman,formorerigorousinvestigationsofviolenttreatmentofjuvenilesuspects,fortheevaluationoftraining,andsoon.

Technical assistance also may be needed to support the implementation of some of theserecommendations,suchaslawreform,thestrengtheningofresearchcapacityorthedevelopmentofanationalplan,policyorstrategyonjuvenilejustice.Similarly,insomeareasfacilitatingexchangesofexperienceswithothercountrieswillbeveryuseful.Exampleswouldincludespecializedchildrightsunitsinombudsoffices,thedevelopmentofamorecomprehensivesystemofdatamanagementandthedesignationofspecializedjudgesandprosecutors.

WhileArmeniacanlearnfromtheexperienceofothercountries,italsohasmuchtoteach.


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Annex 1. Data collection and analysis

Oneoftheaimsofthisassessmentistoascertainwhethertheinformationcorrespondingtoglobaland regional indicators exists; identify problems or difficulties concerning the use or definitionof such indicators; and explore the availability of other indicators of particular relevance. Theassessment reveals that data corresponding to most of UNODC and TransMONEE indicators areavailable, despite a significant number of problems regarding the definitions or relevance of theindicators,aspresentlydefined.Dataonsomeimportantindicators,suchastheaveragedurationofpretrialdetention,contactswithfamilies,diversionandaftercare,arenotcompiledatpresent.Thisgapshouldbe remedied inorder to facilitatemonitoringof the relevantnationaland internationalstandards.Theindicatorsandcorrespondingobservationsoftheassessmentteamareasfollows:

1) National data collection system and international and regional indicators

(a) Crimes committed by juvenile offenders

TheTransMONEEmatrixdefinesthisindicatorasthe“numberofcrimescommittedbypersonsaged14–17,”disaggregatedbythekindofcrime,i.e.,violent,propertyorother.127

The Ministry of Justice compiles data on ‘offenders identified’, which are disaggregated by age,sex, offence and place.128 The age cohorts used for juveniles are 14–15 and 16–17 years. Data aredisaggregated for 10 offences – voluntary homicide, attempted homicide, serious corporal harm,theft,robbery,burglary,‘fraud’,hooliganism,‘drugaddiction’129andpossessionofillegalweapons–and‘other’.Toourknowledgethisinformationisnotpublishedonaregularbasis,butdataforsomeyears(2004–2005)havebeenprovidedtoUNICEF.

The Police also compile data on offending by juveniles that are disaggregated by age cohort(14–15or16–17years)andsex.130Thedataalsoaredisaggregatedbywhetherthesuspectedoffenderwasenrolled inschoolornot,whether theoffencewascommittedunder the influenceofdrugsoralcohol,andwhethertheoffenceswerecommittedjointlywithoneormoreadults.However,toourknowledgesuchdataarenopublished.

Armenia’ssecondreporttotheCommitteeontheRightsoftheChildcontainsdataonthenumberof‘minorsconvicted’ for thedecadefollowing independence(seesection ‘(i)Convictions’below).Thetable containing these data also holds data on the ‘number of offences committed by minors’. Nodefinitionofthisindicatorisprovided.Thefiguresaremuchlarger,especiallyfortheyears1997–2000(e.g.,610offencescommittedby39juvenilesconvictedin2000),suggestingthatthesedataprobablyrefertothenumberofreportedoffences,ratherthanthenumberofconvictions(formultipleoffences).

(b) Children in conflict with the law/children arrested

The term ’arrest’ is defined by the UNODC-UNICEF Manual as “placed in custody by the police …or other security forces because of actual, perceived or alleged conflict with the law.” ’Conflictwith the law’ is, in turn,definedashaving“committedor [being]accusedofhavingcommittedanoffence,” although the definition adds that, “Depending on the local context,” the term may alsomean“childrendealtwithbythejuvenilejusticeoradultcriminaljusticesystemforreasonofbeingconsideredtobeindangerbyvirtueoftheirbehaviourortheenvironmentinwhichtheylive.”The

127 TheUNODC-UNICEFManualdoesnotincludethisindicator.(SeeUnitedNations,Manual for the Measurement of Juvenile Justice Indicators, OfficeonDrugsandCrime(UNODC)andUNICEF,NewYork,2007.)

128 ThislastcriteriondifferentiatesbetweenthecapitalandtherestofArmenia;itisnotknownwhetheritreferstotheresidenceoftheoffenderortotheplacewheretheoffencereportedlytookplace.

129 Drugaddictionisnotpunishableanymoresince26May2008.

130 Theassessmentteamwasprovidedwithsuchdatacovering2009.


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GeneralInvestigativeDepartmentofthePoliceofRAprovidedtheassessmentteamwithunpublisheddata for theyears2004–2009concerning, inter alia, ‘arrested’ juvenilesheld inpolicecustody.Thenumbersrangefromalowof37in2005toahighof58in2007and2008.

(c) Children in detention

TheUNODC-UNICEFManualdescribesthis indicatoras“childrendetainedinpretrial,pre-sentenceandpost-sentencing[sic]inanytypeoffacility(includingpolicecustody)”atanyspecificdate.131

Theassessmentteamwasunabletolocateanypublisheddataonthisindicator.

(d) Children in pretrial or pre-sentence detention

TheTransMONEEmatrixdefinesthisindicatoras“thenumberofchildrenwhoareplacedinpretrialdetentionduringtheyear.”TheUNODC-UNICEFManualdescribesitasincludingchildrendeprivedof liberty while awaiting trial and convicted juveniles awaiting sentencing, but not those who aresentencedandawaitingtheoutcomeofanappeal.


(e) Duration of pretrial detention


(f) Child deaths in detention


(g) Separation from adults

TheUNODC-UNICEFManualdescribesthisindicatoras“thepercentageofchildrenindetentionnotwhollyseparatedfrom”adultprisoners.TheTransMONEEprojectdoesnotincludethisindicator.

In principle, juveniles in police custody are not detained in police stations, but transferred tothepolicedetentionfacility,wheretheyarekeptforupto72hoursinseparatecellsfromadults.Thecells have solid steel doors, which prevents communication between prisoners in different cells.Thenumberofjuvenilesconfinedinthisfacilityisknown,butitisdifficulttosaywithcertaintyhowmanyofthemarekeptcompletelyseparatedfromadults,inpractice.(Unlessmorethanonejuvenileisconfinedinthisfacility,completeseparationfromadultswouldmeansolitaryconfinement.)

Male prisoners in the juvenile correctional facility and the pretrial detention facility for juvenileshavenocontactwithprisonersanddetaineesconvictedordetainedforcrimescommittedasadults.However, the juvenile correctional facility invariably contains a number of young adults servingsentences for offences committed as juveniles; in this sense, no convicted juvenile prisoners arekept ‘whollyseparatefromadultprisoners‘. It is likelythatthesamesituationexists inthejuvenilepretrial facility. The number of juveniles deprived of liberty in these facilities is known, but strictapplicationoftheUNODC-UNICEFcriteriatothemwouldgiveresultsthatareoflimitedrelevancefortheevaluationofcompliancewithinternationalstandards.

(h) Contact with parents and family

TheUNODC-UNICEFManualdescribesthisindicatoras“thepercentageofchildrenindetentionwhohavebeenvisitedby,orvisited,parentsorguardianoranadultfamilymemberduringthelastthreemonths.”

Dataonthisindicatorarenotavailable.

131 Manual for the Measurement of Juvenile Justice Indicators,p.11.


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(i) Convictions

Armenia’ssecondreport to theCommitteeontheRightsof theChildcontainsdataonthenumberof ‘minors convicted’ for the years 1989–2000, with a gap for 1991–1994.132 These data are notdisaggregatedbyanycriteria.Thesourcecited is theDepartment for theEnforcementofCriminalPenalties.

Data on the ‘number of convicted’ for the years 1997–2005, disaggregated to show the number ofconvictedaged14–17years,arealsofoundintheUNICEFpublicationChildren in conflict with the law in Armenia.Thesourcecited is theMinistryofJustice.Thereare largediscrepanciesbetween thefigurescontainedinthetwodocuments,fortheyearscoveredbyboth(seehereafter).

Years Police of RA Ministry of Justice

1997 86 424

1998 41 284

1999 50 331

2000 39 262

(j) Custodial sentences

The UNODC-UNICEF Manual defines this indicator as “the percentage of sentenced children whoreceiveacustodialsentence,”i.e.,oneofconfinementtoanopen,semi-openorclosedfacility.

Thesedataarenotpublishedregularly.TheUNICEFpublicationChildren in conflict with the law in Armeniacontainsdataonthisindicator(25.5percent)forasingleyear(2005).ThesourcecitedistheMinistryofJustice.Thedataaredisaggregatedbyoffence(ninespecificoffencesand‘other’)andthelengthofthesentenceimposed(lessthanoneyear;1–2years;2–3years;3–5years;and5–10years).

(k) Alternative sentences

The TransMONEE matrix requests information on the kinds of sentences imposed on convictedjuveniles.The12categoriesusedare:committaltoapenalinstitution;committaltoaneducational/correctionalinstitution;pre-sentencediversion;formalwarning/conditionaldischarge;apology;fine/financialcompensation;communityserviceorcorrectivelabour;supervisionorder;probationorder;postponementofsentencing;releasefromsentencing;andother.

The language used in this definition is misleading because some of these dispositions (e.g., pre-sentencediversion,postponementofsentencing)obviouslyarenotsentences.

Published data for 2005 indicate only that 5.7 per cent of convicted juveniles received suspendedsentencesand68.3percentweresentencedto‘otherpunitivemeasures’.133

(l) Pre-sentence diversion

The UNODC-UNICEF Manual defines this indicator as “the percentage of children diverted orsentencedwhoenterapre-sentencediversionscheme,”addingthat it is intendedtomeasure“the

132 CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,SecondperiodicreportofArmenia,CRC/C/93/Add.6,Table25.(Theperiod1991–1994correspondstothewarwithAzerbaijan).

133 Children in conflict with the law in Armenia,p.6.


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numberofchildrendivertedbeforereachingaformalhearing.”Thisissomewhatcontradictory,134andtheManualrecognizesthatwhatconstitutesdiversion“willneedtobeidentifiedinthelocalcontext.”


(m) Aftercare

Thisindicatorisdefinedas“thepercentageofchildrenreleasedfromdetentionreceivingaftercare.”Thereisaproblemwiththewaythisindicatorisdefinedbecauseaftercareprogrammesaregenerallyconsidered important for offenders released from custodial facilities after serving a sentence, notthosereleasedfrompretrialdetention.

Post-releasesupportisprovidedonanad hocbasis,primarilybyNGOs.Nodataareavailableonthenumberofjuvenileoffendersbenefiting.

2) Other relevant data and information

Recidivism

Theassessmentteamisunawareofanydataonrecidivism(repeatoffending)byjuvenileoffenders.

Ethnicity

Publisheddataarenotdisaggregatedbyethnicity.

Juveniles prosecuted

The Police of RA provided the assessment team with unpublished data on “cases [of accusedjuveniles] sent to court,” and the Ministry of Justice provided UNICEF with unpublished data onjuvenilesprosecuted.Thedataincludethefollowing:

Years Police of RA Ministry of Justice

2004 167 222

2005 146 192

2006 149 168

2007 149 179

2008 156 178

Theexplanationforthesediscrepanciesisunknown.

Begging and vagrancy

ThePolicecompiledataon“childrenidentifiedasbeggarsandvagrants.”Thedatashowadecreaseinthenumberofsuchchildrenfrom170in1997to46in2005.135Thedataaredisaggregatedbysex,districtinwhichtheywereidentified,andagecohort(below14years,14–15years;and16–17years).

134 Hearingsoftenoccurbeforetrialbegins,whichmeansthatdiversionbeforeanyhearingtakesplacewouldbeonlypartof‘pre-sentencediversion’.Anditisunclearwhythepercentageofoffendersdivertedshouldbecalculatedwithreferencetothenumberdivertedorsentenced,ratherthanthenumberaccusedorprosecuted.Inaddition,diversioncanconsistofamerewarning,withoutentryintoaprogramme.

135 Children in conflict with the law in Armenia,pp.9–10.


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Annex 2. List of persons interviewed

Public officials

N.Arustamyan,DeputyMinister,MinistryofJustice

A.Sargsyan,Head,DivisionofSocial,PsychologicalandLegalActivities,PenitentiaryDepartment

G.Hovakimyan,Seniorspecialist,DivisionofSocial,PsychologicalandLegalActivities

A.Jamalyan,DeputyHead,AbovyanPenitentiaryInstitution

R. Martirosyan, Head, Division of Social, Psychological and Legal Activities, Abovyan PenitentiaryInstitution

L.Gavukchyan,Psychologist,AbovyanPenitentiaryInstitution

L.Sargsyan,Director,VardashenSpecialSchoolNo.1

Ts.Gevorgyan,Director,NubarashenSpecialSchoolNo.18

S.Barseghyan,Head,ChildProtectionUnit,YerevanMayor’sOffice,

L.Gevorgyan,Secretary,GuardianshipandTrusteeshipCouncil,VanadzorMayor’sOffice

L. Ghazaryan, Head, Department of Family, Women and Children’s Issues, Ministry of Labour andSocialIssues

A.Muradyan,ChiefSpecialist,MinistryofEducationandScience

K.Soudjian,Head,HumanRightsDepartment,MinistryofForeignAffairs

G.Sargsyan,Director,Prosecutor’sSchool

A.Vardanyan,Director,JudicialSchool

A.Hayrapetyan,Director,LawSchool,MinistryofJustice

H.Hunanyan,DeputyHeadofthePolice,HeadoftheCommissiononEarlyRelease

T.Petrosyan,DeputyHead,GeneralInvestigativeDepartmentofthePoliceofRA

N.Duryan,DeputyHead,Third(Juveniles’)DepartmentofPolice

M.Poghosyan,Head,Yerevandetentioncentre

A.Stepanyan,SeniorProsecutor

H.Sargsyan,SeniorProsecutor

A.Marukhyan,SeniorProsecutor

M. Mnatsakanyan, Head, Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs,Parliament

R.Sahakyan,Head,ChamberofAdvocates

M.Ghazanchyan,Head,PublicDefender’sOffice

T.Davtyan,CivilLegalDepartment,Ombudsman’sOffice

L.Danielyan,Judge,CourtofCassation

V.Hovnayan,Judge,CourtofGeneralJurisdiction,Lori

N.Hovakimyan,Judge,CourtofGeneralJurisdiction,Lori

K.Poladyan,Head,StatisticalUnit,JudicialDepartment


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Civil society

A. Danielyan, Head, Group of Public Observers Conducting Public Monitoring of PenitentiaryInstitutionsandBodiesoftheMinistryofJusticeoftheRepublicofArmenia

T. Khalapyan, Member, Group of Public Observers Conducting Public Monitoring of PenitentiaryInstitutionsandBodiesoftheMinistryofJusticeoftheRepublicofArmenia;Director,‘Trtu’NGO

M.Shahverdyan,Director,‘Aravot’NGO

A.Ishkhanyan,ArmenianHelsinkiCommittee

M.Antonyan,Director,FARChildren’sSupportCentre

A.Grigoryan,Attorney

UNICEF

L.Moshiri,Representative

H.Khemchyan,ChildProtectionOfficer

Other international agencies and organizations

S.Najmetdinova,HumanRightsOfficer,OSCE

I.Yeranosyan,SeniorHumanRightsAssistant,OSCE

M.Martirosyan,CountryDirector,ProjectHarmony

E.Sargsyan,Coordinator,VanadzorCommunityJusticeCentre

H.Hakobyan,SeniorStaffAttorney,ABA/ROLI

K.Peterson,CriminalLawLiaison,ABA/ROLI

I.Saghoyan,CountryDirector,SavetheChildren

A.Gevorgyan,ProgrammeManager,SavetheChildren

K.Mikhailidi,OperationsManager,AreaDevelopmentProgramme,WorldVision

A.Grigoryan,Coordinator,ChildProtectionProgrammes,WorldVision


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Annex 3. List of documents consulted

Legislation

LawontheRightsoftheChild,1996

CodeofCriminalProcedure,1998

CriminalCode,2003

CriminalExecutiveCode[PenitentiaryCode],2004

Resolution of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia ‘On establishing a NationalCommission for Child Protection, approving the bylaws and composition of the Commission’,28October2005

JointDirectiveoftheMinistryofRegionalGovernanceandMinistryofLabourandSocialIssues‘Onapprovingsamplechartersofchildprotectiondepartmentsofmarzauthorities(Yerevanmunicipality)oftheRepublicofArmeniaandAnnex’,17November2005

DecreeoftheMinisterofJustice‘OnapprovingtheRegulationonOrganizingSocialandPsychologicalServiceswithDetaineesandPrisonersatPenitentiaryService’,1September2003

National Plan of Action for the Protection of the Rights of the Child 2004-2015, translated andpublishedbytheUNICEFArmeniaOffice,Yerevan,2005

United Nations documents

CommitteeontheRightsoftheChild,Children’srightsinjuvenilejustice,GeneralCommentNo.10,CRC/C/GC/10,2007

Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of reports submitted by States parties underArticle 44 of the Convention, Concluding observations to the second periodic report of Armenia,CRC/C/15/Add.225,2004

Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of reports submitted by States parties underArticle44oftheConvention,SecondperiodicreportofArmenia,CRC/C/93/Add.6,2003*

Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of reports submitted by States partiesunder Article 44 of the Convention, Concluding observations to the initial report of Armenia,CRC/C/15/Add.119,2000

Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of reports submitted by States partiesunder Article 44 of the Convention, Initial reports of States parties due in 1995: Armenia,CRC/C/28/Add.9,1997136

UnitedNations,Coredocumentformingpartof thereportsofStatesparties:RepublicofArmenia,HRI/CORE/1/Add.57,30June1995*

* DocumentspublishedbytheUnitedNationsbutpreparedbytheGovernmentofArmenia.


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UNICEF documents

NationalStatisticalServiceofArmenia,Children in conflict with the law in Armenia,MONEECountryAnalyticalReport,UNICEFInnocentiResearchCentre,Florence,2006

Giles,G.,ReportonJuvenileJusticeandDelinquencyinArmenia,UNICEFYerevan,2001

TheStatusofJuvenilesintheJuvenileColony,UNICEF/NationalCentreforDemocracyandHumanRights,Yerevan,1998

NGO documents

NGOReport[totheCommitteeontheRightsoftheChild]Armenia,undated[2002]

CaseStudyonNubarashenSpecialSchool,WorldVisionArmenia,undated

PartnershipwithGovernmentatNubarashenSpecialSchool,WorldVisionArmenia,undated

ReducingchildabuseinNubarashenSpecialSchool,WorldVisionArmenia,undated

Other documents

Juvenile Justice in Armenia: Perspective of Children in Conflict with the Law, Advanced SocialTechnologies/OrganizationforSecurityandCo-operationinEurope(AST/OSCE),2010,unpublished

Opinion on the Draft Law Amending the Section on Pretrial Proceedings in Criminal Cases of theCriminal Procedure of the Republic of Armenia, Organization for Security and Co-operation inEurope/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODHIR), Opinion Nr.: CRIMARM/136/2009(MA),15July2009

EuropeanNeighbourhoodandPartnershipInstrument,Armenia,CountryStrategyPaper2007–2013

Commission of the European Communities, Annex to: European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP),CountryReportArmenia,COM(2005)72final,Section1.1

Council of Europe, Second Report submitted by Armenia pursuant to Article 25, paragraph 1of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, ACFC/SR/II(2004)010,24November2004


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ANNEX 4.

JUVENILE JUSTICE IN ARMENIA: PERSPECTIVE OF CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW (AST/OSCE)

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JUVENILE JUSTICE IN ARMENIA:

PERSPECTIVE OF CHILDREN IN CONFLICT

WITH THE LAW (AST/OSCE)

The study was implemented by the Advanced Social Technologies NGO in 2009 with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

The views, findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the OSCE or the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

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JUVENILE JUSTICE IN ARMENIA: PERSPECTIVE OF CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW

INTRODUCTION

Project Background and Objectives

As part of its democratic reforms, Armenia has committed itself to setting up a proper legalframework as well as the mechanisms necessary for the effective functioning of a juvenile justicesystemthathasthechild’sbestinterestsinmind.Amongotherprovisions,internationalconventionsandguidelinescallforchild-centeredorientationandrespectfortheviewsofthechild.

Although over the past decade international organizations and local NGOs have commissionedseveralindependentassessmentsofthejuvenilejusticesystem,theperspectivesofyoungoffendershavenotyetbeenlookedat.Thus,assessingtheopinionsofchildreninconflictwiththelawwhoareinArmenia’sjuvenilejusticesystemwasdeemednecessary.

The project was aimed at discovering what the children thought about the how effective thepreventionofdelinquentbehavior,correctionandrehabilitationofyoungoffendersisaswellashowwellrespectedchildrightsareatallstagesoftheprocess.

Bylookingatvariousinstitutionswithchildrenwithbehavioralproblemsandchildreninconflictwiththelaw,thestudysoughttounderstandtheviewsofthejuvenilesonseveralimportantissuessuchas their treatment in these institutions, the protection of their rights, the effectiveness of varioussanctionsimposedonjuvenilesandtheperceivedimpactofthosesanctionsontheirfuturelife,andtheirconcernsandneedsintermsofsuccessfulrehabilitation.

Research Methodology

Consideringthetimelineofcriminal justicereformsinArmenia,thetargetgroupforthestudywasdefinedasyoungpeoplewhowereundertheageof18andwereinconflictwiththelawbetweenthebeginningof2002andautumn2009.

Theresearchquestionscalledforqualitativemethodsofdatacollectionandanalysis.Dependingonthespecificsubgroupofrespondents,In-DepthInterviewsand/orFocusGroupsweredeemedsuitableandeffective.Insomecasesbothmethodswereutilized,eachcompensatingforthelimitationsoftheother–i.e.thegroupdynamicoffocusgroupsandtheconfidentialityofpersonalin-depthinterviewsthatcouldhelptoovercomeanypotentialreluctancetospeakaboutsensitiveissues.

The study covered a total of 91 juveniles through 48 in-depth interviews and 10 focus groups inYerevanandseveralprovinces(marzes)ofArmenia.Therespondentsrepresentedthefollowingsixgroupsofjuveniles:

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1. JuvenilesservingsentencesinAbovyanpenitentiary(15malejuveniles,1femalejuvenile1)

2. JuvenilesreleasedfromAbovyanpenitentiary(12malejuveniles,1femalejuvenile)

3. Juvenilesonprobationorservingalternativesentences(13malejuveniles)

4. BeneficiariesofCommunityJusticeCenters(15boys,4girls)

5. ChildreninNo.1EducationalComplex(SpecialSchool)forchildrenwithbehavioraldifficulties,includingtheonesthatappearedtherenotbecauseofanti-socialbehavior,butbecauseofthesocialconditionsofthefamily2(12boys,9girls)

6. ConvictsservingsentencesinadultpenitentiarieswhoservedsentencesinAbovyanpenitentiaryasjuveniles(8maleconvicts,1femaleconvict)

Researchinstruments–thequestionnaireforin-depthinterviewsandtheguidelineforfocusgroups–werepreparedincloseconsultationwithOSCEYerevanOfficeandUNICEFandwerebasedonthediscussionguideandmodelquestionnairepreparedbyUNICEF,whichwasusedforasimilarstudyinAzerbaijan.

ExceptinNo.1SpecialSchool,wherethestaffpsychologistwaspresentduringthefocusgroups,allotherfocusgroupsandin-depthinterviewswereconductedwithoutobserversbeingpresent.

Report Structure

Thisreportsummarizesthemainfindingsofthestudyandanswersthemainresearchquestionsfromthe perspective of all relevant groups of surveyed juveniles. Thus, for example, when discussingAbovyan penitentiary, the views of all respondents who have ever served sentences there areaccountedfor.

Thefirst twochaptersof the report (Chapter 1. Community Justice Centers and Chapter 2. Special school for children with behavioral difficulties) discusshowjuvenilesspenttheirtimeineachoftheinstitutions,howtheycommunicatedwiththeirpeersandstaffmembersandhowtheyweretreatedby them, whether or not their rights were protected, and what the juveniles thought about howeffectivetheinstitutionswere.

Chapter 3. Relations with PoliceandChapter 4. Justice focusontheviewsof juvenilesinregardtotheirencounterswithpolice,aswellasexperiencesindetentionpriortoandduringtrial.

Chapter 5. Abovyan penitentiary summarizes the experience of juveniles in that institution, whileChapter 6. Probation and alternative service reflects the opinions of juveniles on probation andservingalternativesentences.

Feelings about the past and future as well as the positive and negative experiences of juvenilesreleased from Abovyan penitentiary are discussed in Chapter 7. Rehabilitation and reintegration.Chapter 8. Suggestionsdetailsthechangesthattherespondentswouldliketoseeinvariousyoungoffender’sinstitutionsaswellasintheoveralljuvenilejusticesystem.

The concluding section of the report (Conclusions and recommendations) draws attention to themajorissuesraisedbytheresultsofthestudyandsuggestspriorityactionstoaddressthose.

1 Atthetimeoftheinterviews(November2009)onefemalejuvenile(age17)wasservingasentenceinAbovyanpenitentiaryforwomen.

2 TheprojectinitiallyplannedtocoverNo.18SpecialSchoolaswell;however,asperrecommendationsoftheMinistryofEducation,thestudywasconductedonlyinNo.1SpecialSchool.

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CHAPTER 1: COMMUNITY JUSTICE CENTERS

Daily Life in Community Justice Centers

CommunityJusticeCentersare facilitiesopento thepublicandthedaily lifeofbeneficiaries therewas not very different from that of their peers. They simply attended these centers in addition totheirmainactivitiesandbenefitedfromthecenters’services.

Thejuvenilesattendedthecenters1-2timesperweekfor1-2hours.Theymostlytookpartinfootball,athletics,chess,boxing,karate(andothermartialarts),computerclasses,woodcarvingandpaintinggroups.Beneficiariesattendedgeneralsecondaryschools,didtheirhomework,andspenttheirfreetime talking or playing with friends, watching TV, listening to music, playing computer games, orsurfingvariouswebsites.

Communication and Treatment in the Community Justice Centers

Among all the institutions dealing with juveniles in conflict with the law, the Community JusticeCenters received the most positive assessment from young offenders – the juvenile beneficiariesof the centers stated that staff members were sociable, considered their views, and liked to joke.They were kind, polite, supportive and responsible. The respondents also appreciated that thecenters’staffmemberswererespectful,honestandcaring,andweredoingtheirbesttomotivatethejuveniles.

The Effectiveness of the Community Justice Centers

Thejuvenilesweremostlyreferredtotheprogrammebythepolice.Insomecasesteachers,schooldirectorsorrelativesadvisedjuvenilestogetinvolvedintheprogramme.

The respondents referred to several of the Community Justice Centers’ objectives. The mostmentionedwascorrectionofbehaviororputtingthejuvenilesonthe“rightpath”.Somerespondentstalkedabouttheeducationalobjectivesandtheobjectiveoforganizingthefreetimeofthejuveniles.According to one of the respondents, the programme also aimed to reduce the gap between thejuvenilesandthepoliceaswellascreateapositiveimageofthepoliceamongjuveniles.

In thecenters the juvenilesmainlybenefitedfromtheeducationalprogrammes(computer,potteryandothergroups),psychologicaltherapyandotheradvisoryservices,andparticipatedindifferentfunevents(hiking,etc.)

Respondentssharedthattheyhaveacquiredsomeself-managementskillswhileattendingthecenter.“I have learnt to control my emotions; I am not “explosive” any more. The explanatory work, the examples … were useful”.

Somesaidthattheyhavebecomemoreself-confident,morecommunicative;theyhavefoundinnerpeace and ways of sharing their feelings. “[I have found] balance of mind. I have tried to commit suicide before”. “The important thing is that I have written a letter to my father saying that I regret what I did”. “[We learn] to communicate with everyone. I used to communicate very little before, but now I have started to communicate more”.

They learned certain behavioral models and values through different examples; they tried tounderstandwhatwasrightandwrong.“[We learn] how to behave in different situations, whom to trust, how to value the efforts of our parents”. Some have changed their approach towards their

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environmentandpeople.“My attitude towards people has improved. Now I am trying to trust people”. “I have started to understand more things. I have got closer to my mother”.Somefoundmotivationforstudyandformakingfutureplans.“I have new desires for study and work”. “I attend school more willingly. The attitude of many people towards me has changed for the better.”

Thejuvenileslikedattendingthecenter.Manyofthemeventoldthattheywouldliketospendmoretimethere.Theymentionedthattheylikedthewarmattitudeofthestaffandthatthestaffmotivatedthemandwerehonestandcaring.Therespondentsalsoappreciatedfindingsomeonetotalktoandturntoforadvice.“It was good that I could find answers to the questions I had”.

CHAPTER 2: SPECIAL SCHOOLS FOR CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES

Daily Life in Special Schools for Children With Behavioral Difficulties

Thejuvenilesusuallyspenttheirdayattendingclassesanddoinghomework.Besidesschool,manyofthejuvenilesattendedsinging,dancingorcircusgroups,orcomputerclasses.Somestudiedcrafts–shoe-making,needlework,auto-mechanics,hairdressing,pottery.Someplayedfootball.

In general they spent their free time playing computer, sports or other games, watching TV, andlisteningtomusic.Somelikedreading.Somejuvenilesmentionedtheycouldnotfindanythingtodoandwerebored.

Communication and Treatment in Special Schools for Children With Behavioral Difficulties

Manyofthejuvenilesattendingthespecialschoolhadfriendstherewithwhomtheyspenttheirfreetimeandsharedthoughtsandproblems.Manyothers,however,didnothavefriendsattheschool.

Ingeneraltherespondentsspokepositivelyabouttheschoolstaff,mentioningthattheywerecaringand kind and ready to help. The juveniles communicated relatively frequently with theeir classteacherandtherapist;somecommunicatedmorewiththeteachersoftheextracurriculargroupstheyattended.

The Effectiveness of Special Schools for Children With Behavioral Difficulties

Respondents mainly stated that the reasons they had ended up in the special school were lack ofachievementatgeneralsecondaryschoolandanti-socialbehavior.Somesaidtheyjustcametobeclosetotheirbrotherorsisterwhowasattendingthespecialschool.Manyrespondentsmentionedthattheycametotheschoolwillinglybuttherewereotherswhosaidtheydidnotwanttocome.

Accordingtotherespondents, theobjectiveofthespecialschool is toeducate juveniles.Buttherewereotheropinionsaswell,suchas:“If a child has problems with the family, they support him/her – they provide temporary accommodation until the problem is solved”; “If they were not brought here, then one would become a beggar and the other a criminal”,etc.

Some respondents said that once they had come to the special (boarding) school they started tostudybetter;otherssaidtheyhadbecomeclosertotheirrelativesintheschool.However,therewereotherswhocomplainedthattheymissedtheirfreelifeandtheirrelatives.

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The things the juveniles enjoyed most about attending the special school were the variousextracurricular groups and the school staff. Some respondents mentioned things they did not likesuchassmallrooms,notbeingallowedtogohome,andhavingacurfewintheevening.

Protection of Rights in Special Schools for Children With Behavioral Difficulties

Amongtheirperceivedrights,respondentsmentionedtherightstosleep,eat,bath,play,study,makefriends, love, respect, etc. They rarely mentioned universal human rights or rights of vulnerablegroups.Thejuvenilescommentedonsuchrightsinthefollowingways:“[We have a right] to live in a warm place, to see our parents, to visit a doctor”, or ”to express our thoughts, to study”.

Thejuvenileshadthesameapproachtohavingotherrights,sayingthattheywouldliketohavetherightsnottostudy,towatchTVaslongastheywishatanytimeduringtheday,etc.

Therespondentsmostlysaidthatfortheprotectionoftheirrightsorsolvingofotherproblemstheyapproachtheirparents,theschooldirector,thesocialworker,thetherapist,ortheytrytosolvethemthemselves.

CHAPTER 3: RELATIONS WITH POLICE

The respondents were generally quite hesitant to talk about the police; many of them refused toanswer the majority of such questions. Nevertheless, the picture that is outlined based on theopinionsthatwerevoicedshowsthattherearenumerousissuesrelatedtothepolicesystem.

Manyoftherespondentscameintocontactwiththepoliceforthefirsttimeattheageof13-16.Formany,firstrelationswiththepolicewerethereasonformanyfurthermeetingsbecause,accordingto the respondents,after that theywere then frequentlycalled to thepolicestationassuspectsofvariousothercases.Consequently,somerespondentsexpressedfearofthepoliceandrecalledthenegativeattitudeofpoliceofficerstowardsthem.Acommonopinionisthatsomepoliceofficersarenotobjectiveandworkaccordingtotheprincipleof“forthestronger,theweakerisalwaysguilty”.

Themajorityofrespondentsmentionedthattheyhadbeenbeatenatpolicestations.Someofthemnoted that police officers usually beat juveniles to make them admit (or take responsibility for)thecrimeornamepersonswhohadparticipated in it (theft,fighting,etc.).Respondentswhosaidtheyhadnotbeensubjectedtoviolenceexplaineditbythefactthattheyhadconfessedtheirguiltimmediately.Whenspeakingaboutothermanifestationsofviolencebythepolice,therespondentsmentionedcasesof threats, keeping juvenileshungry for severaldays,making themundress, andhumiliation.“They beat me terribly. They kept me hungry for 7-8 hours. They beat me in such a way that I would lose consciousness. Then they put water on me to bring me round and beat me again”.

Respondentsthoughtthatpoliceofficersshouldbehonest,responsible,conscientious,fair,humane,should not break the laws and should not resort to violence or insults. Nevertheless, many of therespondentssaid theyhadnevermetsuchpoliceofficersandtheydidnotbelieve theycouldevermeet one. “I don’t think there can be a good policeman. They may act like good people in other circumstances but when they put on their police uniform, it’s over [ – they can’t be good]”.

CHAPTER 4: JUSTICE

Thejuvenileshadmainlybeenarrestedathomeoratschool.Somewerecaughtbythepoliceatthecrimesceneandsomehandedthemselvesinatthepolicestation.

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Most respondents had been kept in police custody for 2-3 days, but there were some who hadbeendetainedinpolicecustodyfor5or6days,andotherswhowereheldforupto15days.Somerespondentscomplainedthattheyhadnotbeenaffordedtheopportunitytocallhomewhilebeinginpolicecustodyforalengthyperiod.

The period of detention prior to trial was generally 2-7 months. Respondents met with officersinvestigating the cases 1-6 times during pre-trial detention. Generally, the impressions of therespondents from these meetings were not positive. Cases of officers using violence, threats, ordeceptiontocoerceasignaturewerenotuncommon.“He showed me a paper in the police station and said that I should sign it in order to go home. But actually it was a document for keeping me in the pre-trial detention facility for 3 days; later he said that he had tricked me”.

Somejuvenilesmentionedthattheywerenotinformedabouttheirrightsduringthepre-trialperiodand had no idea about their rights: they were questioned in the absence of a public defender (ordefenceattorney);theyweretreateddisrespectfully;theywerethreatenedanddeceived.Oneofthejuvenilestoldus,“A person came and said he was my lawyer. He gave me a blank piece of paper to sign and I signed it”.

Although a teacher was usually present during questioning at the police station, the majority ofjuvenileswerealonewithinvestigatingofficersduringpre-trialdetention.

Themajorityof respondentsusedtheservicesofpublicdefenders.The juvenilesusuallymetwithapublicdefenderonceor twice. Ingeneral, theycomplainedabout thestandardof thedefenders,saying that thepublicdefendersdidnotcareabout themandwere incompetenton the job.Somerespondentsneverevensawtheirpublicdefender.“I had a public defender. He came and sat next to me. When they started to beat me, he ran away shouting. Later we hired a private lawyer”.Somerespondentsbelievedthattheirpublicdefenderusedtoinformtheinvestigatingofficeraboutthingstheytold,thusallowingtheinvestigatortousetheirownwordsagainstthem.

Those respondents who used the services of private defence attorneys met them relatively moreoften (about 2-3 times) and were generally satisfied with them. In fact, respondents often turnedtoprivatedefenceattorneysbecause theyweredissatisfiedwith theworkof thepublicdefenders.Thosewhowereunabletohirealawyergenerallysaidthatiftheyhadhadenoughmoneytheywouldhavedeclinedtheservicesofthepublicdefenderandwouldhavehiredadefenceattorney.

Respondents relayed that they were often troubled in the court room; some of them cried. Thefeelingsof theirparents,particularlymothers’,wereespeciallyhard for themto face.Someof thejuveniles suffered from feelings of loneliness and defenselessness, some felt shame or fear, andotherswereoverwhelmedwithasenseof injustice.Theysaid that these feelingscouldhavebeenmitigatedbythepresenceofacaringandprofessionallawyer.

Opinions regarding the attitude and approach of judges were mixed. Some juveniles expressedpositiveopinions,sayingthatthejudgewascompassionateandfair.Toughcriticismwasalsovoiced,however.Andsomeevenmentionedcorruptionandpartiality.Oneoftherespondentsstated:“The prosecutor’s office dominates. The judge has to follow their orders. There might be some exceptions, but they mostly just follow orders. Otherwise the judge wouldn’t be able to keep his position for very long”.Nevertheless,themajorityofrespondentsconsideredtheirverdictfair.Somebelievedthatthesentencecouldhavebeenfairerandthesanctionsmilder,whileothersstillrefusedtoadmitthattheywereguilty.

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Theopinionthatajuvenileshouldneverbeimprisonedwaswidespreadamongrespondents.Theythought that juveniles should receive a conditional sentence, be fined or pardoned. “I would notimprisonajuvenileatall–especiallyfortheft.Theyshouldbemadetoworktopaybackthemoneytothestateortheplaintiff”.

CHAPTER 5: ABOVYAN PENITENTIARY

Daily Life in Abovyan Penitentiary

Respondents who had spent time in Abovyan penitentiary (since the beginning of 2002) said thattheirdays in the institutionweremostlymonotonous.The juvenileswokeupearly in themorning,hadbreakfast,cleanedthepremisesandthenwenttoschoolorcraftclasses.Theboysweremainlyengagedincarpentryandpotteryandthegirlsinweavingandneedlework.Mostwerethenfreeafterlunchandspenttheirtimeaccordingtotheirinterests–watchingTV,playingtabletennisorfootball,listeningtomusic.Someplayedcheckersorchess,somereadorwrotepoems.Theywenttobedat11p.m.

Accordingtotherespondents,occasionalvisitsofunexpectedguests,likestudentsorresearchers,broughtsomeinteresttotheirmonotonousdays.

Thememoriesofthejuvenilesaboutdaysspentinthepenitentiaryweremostlysad.Somerecalledtheirfirstdayinpre-trialdetention.Thosewhohadspentthatdayintheoldpre-trialdetentionfacilityrecalledtheadverseconditionsthere–thecold,thedamp,andthedarkness.Somerememberedhowtheyhadspenttheirbirthdaylonelyandsad.Manyrecalledthevisitsofparentsandtheirdespair.

The respondents noted that it was almost impossible to have any good memories of Abovyanpenitentiarybecausetheprisondidnotallowthattobeapossibility.Respondentsmentionedhowa person feels abandoned and lonely while imprisoned and isolated from relatives. Some refusedtorememberanythingatall.Thefewpositivememoriesthatrespondentsdidhavewereconnectedwith their involvement incarpentry,potteryandpaintinggroups.Somealso recalled theiror theirfriends’ school graduation event, sports events they had participated in, and exhibitions of workstheyhadcreatedinthecraftsgroups(someofthemalsoreceivedprizesforthat).

Communication and Treatment in Abovyan Penitentiary

Mostrespondentsbelieveit isdifficulttohavefriendsinapenitentiaryinstitution,andveryfewofthemsaid theyhad friendswhileatAbovyan.Theysaid itwashard to trustpeopleandbehonestwiththemintheinstitution.

In general, the respondents spoke positively about the penitentiary staff. It was mentioned thatstaff were considerate and caring even though they were strict due to the nature of their work.Nevertheless, juveniles were reluctant to build relationships with the staff or communicate withthemmore.Theysaidthatcommunicationwithstaff“was not well-accepted by the other convicts”.

Theoverwhelmingmajorityofjuvenilesrarelymetwiththepsychologistofthepenitentiaryinstitutionattheirowninitiative.Manyofthemmentionedthattheydidnotneedthat.Nevertheless,sometimesthepsychologistvisitedthejuvenilesandtalkedwiththem.Manywhohadsuchconversationswiththe psychologist mentioned that those conversations helped them to feel better and escape themonotonousdailylifeoftheinstitutionforsometime.Girlscommunicatedwiththepsychologistmorefrequentlythantheboys.Thefactthatthepsychologistwasawomanprobablycontributedtothat.Someboysmentionedthattheywouldprobablyhavebeenmorewillingtomeetamalepsychologist.

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The meetings with the social worker in the Abovyan penitentiary were also infrequent. The socialworkermainlyprovidedsupporttojuvenilesbywritingapplicationsforconditionalpre-termrelease,additionalvisits,etc.

Effectiveness of Abovyan Penitentiary

Themajorityofrespondentsweresentencedtoimprisonmentforcommittingtheft,robbery,knifingorcausingbodilyharm.

Some of the respondents had served two sentences in a juvenile penitentiary. According to therespondents,thefactthatearningmoneybylegalmeansissometimeshardercontributestorepeatedcrimes. Some of them, having failed to find a job after release, turned to other means of gettingmoney.Onerespondentcommented:“We all think about how to stop living such a life after release, but it never turns out that way. That’s because of a lack of money and the possibility of getting money the easy way”.

RespondentsconsideredthattheobjectiveofAbovyanpenitentiaryistocorrectjuveniles.Buttheywere also certain that the environment – the locked doors, the atmosphere of distrust – did notcontributetocorrectionbutengenderedtheopposite–itmadejuvenilesmoretense,aggressiveandevil.Somethoughtthatapenitentiaryinstitutioncouldnevercorrectapersonsincethatpersoncanonlychangebyhisorherowndecision–ifthereisnosuchintentionthennothingwillhelpcorrectthem.

Themajorityof respondentswere in thepenitentiary for1-3years.Theysaid thatduring the timetheyspentintheinstitutiontheybecamemorewaryandcautious–theytrustedhardlyno-oneandavoided friendly relations. The years spent in the penitentiary institution made them irritable andaggressive.Somementionedthattheycarrythestigmaofbeingacriminalbecausetheyhadspenttimeinthepenitentiary.Thiswasanobstacleforthemwhentryingtoadaptingbackto‘normal’lifeand reintegrate into society.“The labels of ‘convict’ and ‘criminal’ are stuck on me. Tomorrow my child is going to learn that his father is a criminal, and no one can prove otherwise. Everyone will remember just this”.

Despite the fact that many respondents were unable to mention any one thing in the penitentiaryinstitution thatwouldcontribute to theircorrection, theydidstress that thepottery,carpentryandothersuchactivitieshelpedthetimetopassfaster.

Protection of Rights in Abovyan Penitentiary

Respondentsmentionedthattheywereawareoftheirrightswhileinthepenitentiary.Amongtheserightstheymentionedtherighttoreceivevisitsandmakephonecallstorelatives,therighttoreceiveparcels, and the right to use the library. In general, the juveniles exercised those rights. Some ofthemmentionedthattheyalsohadtherighttousethehotlinebutdidnotuseit.

Respondentsstatedthattheyexperiencednorealdifficultiesconcerningtheprotectionoftheirrightswhileinthepenitentiaryinstitution.Iftheyeverhadsuchissues,somewouldapproachthestaffoftheinstitutionwhileotherspreferredtoapproachno-one.

AlmosthalfthejuvenileswhoarecurrentlyservingsentencesinAbovyanhaveappliedforconditionalpre-termrelease.Someofthemsaidtheyhavereceivedapositivereply.Thosewhohavenotappliedsaid the reasonwas that theywerenotyet eligible (considering the time theyhadservedand thelengthoftheirsentence).

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CHAPTER 6: PROBATION AND ALTERNATIVE SERVICE

Daily Life of Juveniles on Probation or Serving Alternative Sentences

The majority of juveniles on probation or serving alternative sentences did not go back to highschoolandwereinvolvedincrafts,sportsormusic.Manyothers,however,wereworkingorstudyingin colleges or higher education institutions. Some were unemployed and mostly spent their dayswatchingTV,listeningtomusic,playingfootball,tennis,cards,andwalkingwithfriends.

Communication and Treatment of Juveniles on Probation or Serving Alternative Sentences

Respondents mostly gave positive feedback about the staff of the regional divisions of CriminalExecutiveDepartment(CED)thatworkwithjuvenilesonprobationorservingalternativesentences,mentioningthattheywerekind,polite,andrespectfulanddidnottreatthejuvenilesascriminals.

The Effectiveness of Probation and Alternative Service

Therespondentsweremainlyputonprobationorsentencedtoalternativeservicefortheft,knifing,hooliganismorrecklessdriving.

While juveniles who served sentences in Abovyan penitentiary were sure that the objective ofimprisonment was to “correct criminals”, juveniles on probation or serving alternative sentencesinterpreted their sanctions in quite different ways. Many of them mentioned that probation andalternative service were ways to control the juveniles. “They control us to make sure we do not fight, and behave well”.Othersmentionedobjectivessuchascorrection,punishment,andmakingjuvenilesregretwhattheydid.

Respondentsbelievedthatprobationandalternativeservicehelpedcorrectjuvenilesbymakingthemmorecareful,keepingthemawayfromhastyandthoughtlessactions,andmakingthemunderstandthattheyshouldberesponsiblefortheiractions.

Someofthejuvenileswhowereonprobationatthetimeoftheinterviewhadalsoservedsentencesin Abovyan. When they compared time in the institution with their time on probation/alternativeservice, most considered the latter more helpful; they thought that the deprivation of liberty hadnegatively affected their mental state, whereas they were able to avoid many negative emotionsin freedom. Hence, the key positive aspect of probation/alternative service, according to therespondents,wasthechancetoavoidorbereleasedfrompenitentiarysothattheycouldseetheirfriendsandrelatives.Oneoftherespondentsmentionedthathefeltlikehehadbeengivenasecondchance.

Ontheotherhand,juvenilesonprobationorservingalternativesentencesresentedthefactthattheyhadtovisitthepolicestationorCEDofficesonceortwiceaweektoleaveasignature.3Oneofthejuvenilescomplainedthathisprobationperiodwastoolongandimpededthefulfillmentofsomeofhisgoals.“They have sentenced me to 5 year’s probation. It would be better if we had the chance to finish probation earlier and had the right to enter a military institution to study”.

3 ThefrequencyofvisitsissetattheprerogativeoftheCEDstaffbutmustbeatleastonceamonth.

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Protection of the Rights of Juveniles on Probation and Serving Alternative Sentences

Amongtheirrights,somerespondentsmentionedtheright toreceive legaladviceandtheright tohavethepresenceofateacherorparentduringmeetingswiththepolice.Somejuvenilessaidtheywere not aware of their rights. “They don’t have the right to beat juveniles. I know this now, but I didn’t know it before”.

While speaking about the possibility of having other rights, one respondent said he would like tohave the right to go home after the sessions in the court trial. As for the terms of probation andalternativeservice,somerespondentsmentionedthattheywouldliketohavethechancetochangetheirplaceofresidence.

CHAPTER 7: REHABILITATION AND REINTEGRATION

Manyrespondentssaidthatiftheycouldchangesomethingintheirpasttheywouldliketobebornagainandlivewithoutfacingsomanydifficulties,suchaspovertyandbeingorphaned.Somesaidtheywouldnotcommittheoffenseforwhichtheyhadbeensentenced.

Manyrespondentshadgoalsanddreams.Someintendedtogotothearmy,somewantedtocontinuetheirstudies,andsomewerelookingforajob.Thejuvenilessaidthatalackoffinancialresourcesandtheirpersonalitytraits(suchasadifficultcharacterandimpatience)werehinderingtheachievementof theirgoals.Respondentsnotedthathavingagraciousandtrustworthyfriendorparent, jobandmoney,legalawarenessandmotivationtostudywellwouldhelpthemtoavoidre-offendinginthefuture.Theysharedthattheyneededsupportinfindingajobandcontinuingtheirstudies.

TherespondentswhoservedsentencesinAbovyanpenitentiarywereunawareofanyinstitutionthatcouldhelpthemintheprocessofreintegration.Theabsenceofsuchasupportsystemisperhapsthereasonwhysofewrespondentshavemanagedtosuccessfullyreintegrateintosociety.

Oneoftherespondentsconsideredthefactthathehadenteredahighereducationinstitutiontobehissuccess.Hesaidthedirectorofthepenitentiaryinstitutionhadcontributedtothatbygivinghimtheopportunitytoparticipateinadmissionexamswhileinpenitentiaryservice.

Anotherrespondentconsideredhissuccesstobefindingajobwithsupportfromoneofhisrelatives.However, he mentioned that he had concealed the fact that he had served a sentence in Abovyansinceiftheyhadknownaboutthattheywouldnothavehiredhim.

Otherswerelookingforemploymentbutcouldfindnone.Theyweremostlyengagedinhouseholdactivitiesandagriculture.Accordingtotherespondents,themainobstacletofindingajobwastheirprevious conviction. For some, penitentiary service was an obstacle to receiving education andacquiringaprofession.Somementionedthatpenitentiaryservicehasputastampof“convicted”onthemandsopeopleareafraidtohirethemanddistrustthem.“I’m not able to hang out with many people - neighbors, school friends. I think that they ignore me, especially the girls. I’m not yet trying to build relations with others – first, I need to show my good sides. I can’t say that I can do that alone, without someone’s support, but there is no-one I can approach”.

Thejuvenilesadvisetheirpeerstobemorebalanced,toactthoughtfully,toavoidillegalactions,totrytosettleconflictsthroughnegotiationratherthanfightinginordertoavoidproblemswiththelaw.TherespondentsadvisedthosewhoarecurrentlyinAbovyanpenitentiarytobecarefulandconscientious,toavoidfeelingsofbitterness,andnottothinkthatlifeisoversinceitwillcontinueoutside.

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CHAPTER 8: Juveniles’ Suggestions

In terms of possible reforms in Abovyan penitentiary, respondents proposed providing moreopportunities for juveniles to meet with their relatives. Some mentioned that it would be good ifconvicted juvenileshadthechancetogohome,visit theirschool,andmeetfriendsforsometime.Someone suggested that juveniles be allowed to attend ordinary secondary schools during theirpenitentiaryservice.“I would like to have more days for visits. I would like them to let us go home at least for one week per month - we would go to school, see our friends, etc. in order not to lose ties with society”. “I would like to attend a regular school. Outside. My school. To attend classes and then come back to the penitentiary”.

Respondentsalsostatedthattheywouldliketohavethechancetodevelopprofessionalskillswhileservingtheirsentences.Femalejuvenilessaidthattheywouldliketoattendthepotterygroup.Thejuvenilesmentionedthatitwouldbeeasiertofindajobafterreleaseiftheycouldacquirejobskillswhileinthepenitentiaryinstitution.Theissueofplantingagardenatthepenitentiarywasalsoraised.

In the special school for children with behavioral difficulties, manyrespondentsmentionedthatmoreopportunities to visit home and spend more time outside of the school should be created. Somesaid that thestudyingand livingconditionsof theschoolcouldbe improved– theywanted toseeadditionalextracurriculargroups,improvementofthecanteen,andmoreTVs.Theyalsowishedthattheteachersandthedirectortrustedthechildrenandtreatedthembetter.

Thebeneficiariesofthe Community Justice Centers wishedthattheirrecordscouldberemovedfromthe police register after their time at the center. Some mentioned that it would be good to havestudentsvisitingfrequently,havethechancetocommunicatewithdifferentpeople,andhavemorevariedentertainment.

Toimprove theprobation and alternative service, respondentsproposedreducingthefrequencyofmandatoryvisitstothepoliceandCED.Onerespondentsaidthingscouldbeimprovedbyrequiringthem to go in just once a month (instead of once a week) and by making the maximum durationof probation one year. Someone also suggested that limitations be more lax if juveniles displayappropriatebehavior.

In terms of general reforms in the juvenile justice system,respondentsrecommendedthatcorruptioninthesystembeeliminatedandthatthepolice,prosecutor’sofficeandcourtsbereformedsothattheruleof lawandjusticeisstrengthened,violenceagainstjuvenilesisprevented,andtheirrightsareprotected.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Basedontheopinionsoftherespondents,itmaybeconcludedthatamongservicesdealingwiththepreventionandcorrectionofdelinquentbehavioramong juveniles theCommunityJusticeCentersarethemosteffectiveintermsofthere-educationofthejuvenilesandtheirreintegrationintosociety.

Although respondents generally did not complain about the conditions in Abovyan penitentiary,theymentionedthat imprisonmentdidnotcontribute to therehabilitationofan individual. Indeed,experiencesfromthespecialschoolforchildrenwithbehavioraldifficultiesshowthatthenegativeimpact of imprisonment is avoided. Moreover, it contributes to the return of juveniles to theeducationalprocessanddecreasesthelikelihoodofcriminalandanti-socialbehaviorbyofferingthemvariousextracurricularactivitiesandentertainment.Nevertheless,theseclosedinstitutionslimitthe

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communication of juveniles with their peers outside the institution and limit the opportunities forthemtoacquireskillsforlifeoutsidetheinstitution.TheCommunityCentersarethemosteffectiveintheseterms.Thechildrentherenotonlyhavethechancetomanagetheir time,butalsoacquirecertainskillsusefulforbecomingafullmemberofsociety.

In the Community Centers the juveniles learn self-control, self-management and communicationskills, they become more communicative and find ways of sharing their problems. They becomemore confident and determined and start striving to realize their goals. In Community Centersjuvenileslearncertainbehavioralmodelsandvalues,theytrytounderstandthethingstheycandoandthingstheycan’t.Theworkofthecentersstimulatesapositiveattitudetowardstheenvironmentandpeople,makingthebeneficiariestreattheirenvironmentmoreresponsiblyandthoughtfully. Inthesecenterssomejuvenilesaremotivatedtocontinueeducationandimplementotherfutureplans.

Consideringthekindofchallengesvoicedbytherespondents,webelievethatcertainmeasuresarenecessarytoimprovethejuvenilejusticesystem.Inparticular:

• ItisnecessarytoembarkontheexpansionofCommunityCenters.Theexistenceofsuchcentersisanimportantpre-conditionforintegratingjuvenileswithanti-socialbehaviorintosocietyandcreatingconditionsfortheirnormalfuturelife.Thecenterscanhelpreducethenumberofcasesofjuvenileimprisonmentandpreventthenegativeconsequencesofimprisonment,suchasstigmatization,lossofsocialcapitalduringimprisonmentandlossofsomelifeskills.

• Urgentmeasuresareneededtopreventthephysicalandpsychologicalabuseofjuvenilesinpolicecustody,includinghumiliatinginsults,psychologicalpressureandthreats,aswellastoincreasethecompetencyandimpartialityofpolicestaff.

• ThereformofthePublicDefender’sOfficeisurgentandvital,otherwisethelegalprotectionofjuvenilesispurelydependentonfinancialcapability.Thedevelopmentofthisinstitutionwillsecurethelegalprotectionofjuvenilesregardlessoftheirsocialcharacteristicsandfamilyincome.Measuresarenecessarytoincreasethecompetency,conscientiousnessandimpartialityofthepublicdefenders.

• Thedevelopmentofmechanismsthatprotectchildrightsinthejuvenilejusticesystemisimportant.Measuresareneededtoincreasethelevelofrightsawarenessofthejuvenilesduringinvestigationandtrial,toprotecttheirrights,andtopreventcasesofrightsviolation.

• Itisnecessarytobuilduponthepositiveaspectsofthejuvenilepenitentiaryinstitutions.Inparticularmeasuresshouldbetakentoenhancethecraftgroups,involvingasmanyjuvenilesinthemaspossibleandimprovingtheirconditionsandresources.

• Responsesinthisstudysuggestthatprobationandalternativeserviceareoftenregardedashavingasolelycontrollingfunction.Toincreasetheeffectivenessofprobationandalternativeserviceitisdeemednecessarytohelpjuvenilesbetterunderstandtheobjectivesofnon-custodialsentences.Inaddition,toassistrehabilitation,juvenilesshouldbeencouragedtoparticipateineducational,artsandsportsgroupsandpsychologicalcounselingandemploymentadviceshouldbeoffered.

• Measurestoassistthereintegrationofjuvenilesafterreleasefrompenitentiaryarerequired.Rehabilitationservicescouldprovidenecessaryinformationandadvicetoreleasedjuveniles,supporttheminfindingjobsorcontinuingtheireducation,andassisttheminothermatters.Theexistenceofsuchcentersisimportantnotonlyfortherehabilitationandreintegrationofjuvenilesbutalsoforthereductionofrepeatedcrimes–theresultsofthesurveyindicatethatjuvenilesre-offendmainlyduetodifficultiesencounteredinpost-releaseandotherreintegrationobstacles.