SCIENTIFIC THEME: MAIN PROBLEMS OF JUVENILE CRIME PREVENTION IN ARMENIA ARE STUDIED

The head of the research group is the RA NAS Academician, Doctor of Law, Professor, the Dean of YSU Faculty of Law Gagik Ghazinyan.

The group involves the Doctor of Law, Professor Ara Gabuzyan, Doctor of Law, Associate Professor Anna Margaryan and the Candidate of Law Tatevik Sujyan. According to the specialists, the struggle against juvenile criminal or deviant behavior, working out of effective mechanisms of its prevention is one of the most actual socio-legal problems at the focus of public attention.

Prevention of juvenile crime supposes implementation of complex measures of organizational and legal character to be carried out by joint efforts of various bodies of state authorities and civil institutions which will not only make it possible to prevent criminal or deviant behavior but also to choose and apply best ways of responding taking into account children’s benefit. Professor Gazinyan stressed that development of effective mechanisms of protection of juvenile rights and legal interests is included as a strategic aim in the RA Government policy of judicial and legal improvements planned for 2018-2023.

According to him, the juvenile crime fundamental problems need comprehensive analysis and the international experience in this field is of high importance. The studies started in September, 2018 and during the 8 quarters of its implementation the working group set a task to make surveys of the juvenile crime situation, to reveal the factors causing juvenile crime or deviant behavior, to study the peculiarities of processing and the system of punishment, the role, significance and effectiveness of applied methods of punishment and so on.

Professor Ghazinyan also assured that to publicize the results of the research it is planned to publish a monography summarizing the results, methodical manuals, to organize discussions with the participation of foreign partners.