Violence against children in conflict with the law: developing international indicators ICOPA XII - International Conference on Penal Abolition Rosie Meek:

2 Introduction International collaborative research funded by the European Commission Defence for Children International (France, The Netherlands, Belgium) Howard League for Penal Reform (England and Wales) Publication

3 Children in conflict with the law Any person below the age of 18 years who is alleged as, accused of, or recognised as having infringed the penal law Violence against children Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child defines violence as: “All forms of physical or mental violence, injury and abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse”

4 Child imprisonment in England and Wales Age of criminal responsibility: 10 years Imprisonment as young as 12 years Young Offender Institutes Local Authority Secure Children’s Homes Secure training Centres

5 Child imprisonment in Belgium Age of criminal responsibility: 18 years BUT can place those as young as 12 in ‘public youth protection institutions’ 16 and 17 year-olds can be tried and sentenced under adult criminal law for serious offences

6 Child imprisonment in The Netherlands Age of criminal responsibility: 12 years youth detention can be tried under adult law

7 Child imprisonment in France Age of criminal responsibility: 13 years Closed educational centres and prison sentences (13-17 years)

8 Children deprived of their liberty and placed in detention are at extreme risk of violence Particular forms of violence identified globally in UN Secretary- General’s Study on Violence Against Children: –Violence by staff in institutions –Violence whilst in custody of police and security forces –Violence as a sentence –Violence by adult detainees –Violence by other children –Self harm

9 Data collection systems The importance of developing indicators Existing data collection systems Committee of the Rights of the Child UN study of violence against children

10 Recommended national violence indicators Numbers of children in detention Child deaths in detention Self harm Sexual abuse Separation from adults Solitary confinement Contact with parents and family Exit interviews Independent inspections Complaints mechanisms Limitations of physical restraint and use of force Disciplinary measures

11 Further reading Detrick, S., Abel, G., Berger, M., Delon, A. and Meek, R. (2008). Violence Against Children in Conflict with the Law: A Study on Indicators and Data Collection in Belgium, England and Wales, France and the Netherlands. Amsterdam: Defence for Children International

12 Related publications from the Howard League for Penal Reform: Howard League for Penal Reform (1999). Desperate measures: prison suicides and their prevention Howard League for Penal Reform (2001). Suicide and self-harm prevention: court cells and prison vans Howard League for Penal Reform (2001). Suicide and self-harm prevention: repetitive self-harm among women and girls in prison Howard League for Penal Reform (2002). Suicide and self harm prevention: following release from prison Howard League for Penal Reform (2003). Suicide and self-harm prevention: the management of self-injury in prison