►Stop the Violence! Or the overuse of Pre-trial detention in juvenile justice systems

 The report shows that it is within pre-trial detention facilities, including police lock-up and prisons, that children's rights are most violated, and that international standards on detention and treatment of children in conflict with the law are least respected. These settings leave room for all kinds of violence and abuse (physical, psychological, and sexual) by staff and other inmates. Given the seriousness of the problem and the need to do something about it, Defence for Children International (DCI) decided to prepare this publication: a review of evidence to be used as a reference for future (evidence-based) awareness-raising, lobbying and advocacy work around these issues by DCI and partners its partners at national, regional and international levels.

► Ending Violence Against Children in Justice Systems: Strategies for Civil Society

Engagement in the Follow-up to the UN Study on Violence against Children, October 2009: This report explores the specific role of civil society organisations in following-up the recommendations of the World Report on Violence against Children on ending violence in Justice Systems (chapter 5 of the Study). Eight case examples from civil society organisations illustrate different strategies or activities for follow-up intervention in practice, to provide guidance to NGOs wishing to undertake similar follow-up actions. November 2009.

►"Advocacy Strategies Training Manual: General Comment No. 10 on Children's Rights in Juvenile Justice"

This DCI training manual aims to provide concrete tips and tools for conducting advocacy on juvenile justice issues at the national level.

Click here to download the manual EN / FR / SP

►“Protecting the Rights of Children in Conflict with the Law - Research on Alternatives to the Deprivation of Liberty in Eight Countries”

This paper presents an analysis of the legislation on alternatives to deprivation of liberty in 8 countries. The project was produced for DCI by students of the Master of Advanced Studies in Child Rights at the University of Fribourg.

Click here to download the report in English

►Fact Sheets - General Comment No.10 - Children's Rights in Juvenile Justice

DCI has produced a series of 7 Fact Sheets on various themes in GC 10 including:

- Introduction
- Preventing Juvenile Delinquency
- Promoting Diversion
- Ensuring Appropriate Age Limits of Criminal Responsibility
- Guaranteeing a Fair Trial
- Prohibiting the Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment
- Deprivation of Liberty as a Last Resort

Click here to download the documents.

►"From Legislation to Action? Trends in Juvenile Justice Systems Across 15 Countries"

This report is a preliminary mapping of the implementation of relevant international standards on juvenile justice in Albania, Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, France, Ghana, Italy, the Netherlands, Niger, Palestine, Sierra Leone and Uganda in 2007

Please click here to download the report

►"Violence against Children in Conflict with the Law: A Study on Indicators and Data Collection in Belgium, England and Wales, France and the Netherlands"

This report was produced by DCI-Netherlands in collaboration with the Howard League for Penal Reform, DCI-Belgium and DCI-France, with the support of the Daphne II Programme of the European Commission.
The study of four European countries reveals alarming and repressive policies towards children in conflict with the law, including rising numbers of children in detention, and the prevalence of violence in youth custodial institutions.

Report available in: ENGLISH / FRANCAIS

►"Kids Behind Bars: A study on children in conflict with the law: towards investing in prevention, stopping incarceration and meeting international standards, November 2003, Defence for Children International The Netherlands, Amsterdam"

Please visit the site of DCI Nederland for more information.

►"The Unwanted Child of State Responsibility. An analysis and Commentary on issues of Juvenile Justice in the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child" (1993-2000), International Network on Juvenile Justice, Defence for Children International, Geneva.

Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

No Kids Behind Bars! Global Campaign: www.kidsbehindbars.org

►Juvenile Justice Newsletter - go to the juvenile justice newsletter archive

►Reports from the sessions of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on juvenile justice issues. Visit the archive