A research project on the work of boroughs on juvenile delinquency and victimization at a national level: From an issue of criminology to an issue of administration and local government

Abstract

The work of boroughs regarding criminal policy for minors is mainly performed by the Groups for Protection of Minors (GPMs) which are constituted in every borough and aim at prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency and victimization at a local level.  As it is the case for various other groups and bodies, their work is coordinated by the Central Scientific Council for the Prevention and Treatment of Minors’ Victimization and Criminality (C.S.C.P.T.M.), which was constituted in 2010. Its tenure though has expired in summer 2019 and since then, it has not been reconstituted, this having a negative impact as regards the coordination and supervision of the GPMs. Given the importance of the boroughs’ work on prevention and treatment of delinquency and victimization, a preliminary research was conducted by interviews, focusing mainly on the GPMs’ function and work at a national level. After a systematic approach of 15 boroughs, it was found that the GPMs continue to function and work albeit that the tenure of their coordinator has expired, nevertheless their work and effectiveness are reduced. It was also found that the interviewees remained silent about the expiration of the coordinator’s tenure, these leading to proposals about its reconstitution and better dissemination of information towards the boroughs’ personnel and residents.