|
4 Enhanced consideration for victims in juvenile cases
With regard to juvenile cases, the Juvenile Act was amended (by Act No. 142 of 2000) and measures were introduced in April 2001 to allow the victims, etc. to inspect/copy the records of juvenile cases and to request hearing of opinions of victims, etc., and notification of the results of hearings, etc. In addition, the Juvenile Act has been amended (by Act No. 71 of 2008) to further protect the rights and benefits of victims, etc. Under this amendment, the range of subjects whose opinions can be heard was expanded from July 8, 2008. The amendment also introduced, on December 15, 2008, a system to allow victims, etc. of certain serious cases to attend juvenile hearings and a system in which family courts explain the status of hearings to victims etc., while at the same time relaxed the requirements and expanded the scope of inspections and the copying of records of juvenile cases. In 2008, 718 victims, etc. filed requests to inspect/copy the records of juveniles cases (of which 706 were deemed appropriate), 241 opinions were heard (221 (id.)), and 1,020 notifications were made of the results of hearings (1,018 (id)). During the period from the introduction of these new systems to the end of March 2009, victims, etc. attended juvenile hearings in 31 cases (58 persons) and explanations were provided on the status of hearings to victims etc. in 64 cases (Source: The General Secretariat, Supreme Court).
Furthermore, in accordance with the enhanced notification system for victims, etc. (See the previous subsection), since December 1, 2007 victims, etc., upon request, have been able to be notified of matters regarding the status of the treatment, etc. of juvenile perpetrators under protective measures. Victims, etc. may be notified of the name of juvenile training schools where juvenile perpetrators are detained, their training status in juvenile training schools, 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/status/termination of probation/parole supervision by the directors of probation offices. In 2008, a total of 162 notifications were made by the directors of juvenile training schools, 59 by the Regional Parole Board, and 118 by the directors of probation offices (Source: The Correction Bureau and the Rehabilitation Bureau, Ministry of Justice).
|