CRIMINAL SANCTIONS AGAINST JUVENILES

Abstract

Minors represent a specific category of offenders. This is related to their age moving in a span of time from the age of 14 to the age of 18. A distinction has been made between younger minors (14-16 years old) and older minors (16-18 years old). In the first case there can be imposed only educational measures while in the second one there can even be imposed a sanction of a juvenile prison. This attitude of the majority of legislators in the comparative law is caused by bio-psychological characteristics of minors which affect the process of their re-socialization and reintegration into society. This approach is evident in most of the international and European legal documents regulating the system of both criminal (diversion) measures and criminal sanctions. On this basis, in Serbia, it is regulated the area of the juvenile criminal law. Starting from the previously mentioned facts, the author of this paper will seek to highlight the area within which criminal sanctions against minors are included. By this it is meant to establish the concept, type, method of imposing the criminal penalties against minors as well as the possibilities of their efficient implementation.