JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN FRANCE: PATTERNS AND PROBLEMS

Abstract

Regarding the judicial treatment of juvenile delinquency
in France, there has been a steady increase in penal response, which largely falls into two types of decisions, corresponding to different delinquent profiles: in cases of
“reactive delinquency”, which usually imply low rates of
reiteration, alternatives to prosecution are prefered; in
cases that involve multi-repeat offenders or one-time
offenders who committed serious offenses, juvenile offenders are prosecuted and judged.
In most cases, legal youth protection services also implement educational actions adjusted to the minor and to
the delinquent profile. The paper will also focus on the
sub-group of minors who have been simultaneously or
consecutively brought in front of a civil court, as a child
in danger of abuse, and in front of a penal court, as a
juvenile delinquent.