4 Enhanced consideration for victims in juvenile cases

  Under the Act for Partial Amendment to the Juvenile Act etc. (Act No. 142 of 2000), which came into force in April 2001, new procedures for juvenile cases were established in order to enhance consideration to victims. In 2007, “inspection and copying of records of juvenile cases by victims, etc.” was requested by 824 persons (of which 805 were found appropriate), “hearing of opinions of victims, etc.” was requested by 269 persons (264 (id.)), and “notification of the results of the judgment to victims, etc.” was requested by 1,010 persons (1,004 (id.)) (Source: The General Secretariat of the Supreme Court).
  Furthermore, in accordance with the enhanced notification system for victims, etc. (see subsection 3 of this section), victims, upon request, may be notified of matters regarding the status of treatment, etc. of juvenile perpetrators under protective measures. Victims can be notified of the name of juvenile training schools where juvenile perpetrators are detained, their date of release, and the reason for their release by the directors of juvenile training schools, matters regarding the commencement of examination for parole and the decision by the Regional Parole Board, and matters regarding commencement to and status/completion of probationary supervision by the directors of probation offices.
  In addition, the Act for Partial Amendment to the Juvenile Act, which provides for the establishment of a system to allow victims, etc. of certain serious cases to attend juvenile hearings and the relaxation of requirements for inspection and copying of the records of juvenile cases by victims, etc. and so on, was promulgated on June 18, 2008, and will be enforced on a day specified in a Cabinet Order and not exceeding six months of the date of promulgation, but excluding a part of provisions (see Part 4, Chapter 2, Section 1).