News Item

Online consultation with juvenile justice experts

On 14 January, FRA held an online meeting with juvenile justice experts to consult on a new FRA project covering procedural safeguards for children who are suspects or accused in criminal proceedings. The project will provide evidence-based advice to EU institutions and Member States on the implementation of the EU’s Procedural Safeguards Directive.

FRA is currently preparing the research. It will collect information through legal and social research. FRA will interview lawyers, police, judges, prosecutors and other juvenile justice professionals, as well as children on their experiences and perspectives in criminal proceedings. Participants of the expert meeting have been working for organisations like International Juvenile Justice Observatory, Defence for Children International, Terre des Hommes and Child Circle. FRA gathered the experts’ views and feedback on key considerations, data gaps and priority areas to consider when conducting the fieldwork. FRA experts and the Agency’s multidisciplinary research network, FRANET, will collect the data. The findings will complement and build on FRA’s comprehensive evidence base relating to the rights of the defence, to a fair trial and the rights of people deprived of their liberty, alongside a wide array of work by FRA related to child-friendly justice.