Legal Ground Laid for Potential Establishment of Probation Agencies Dedicated to Juvenile Offenders

The establishment of specialized probation agencies to separately manage and supervise adult and juvenile offenders in order to reduce juvenile recidivism is being promoted.

The Ministry of Justice announced that the amendment to the Act on Probation and Others containing these provisions passed the plenary session of the National Assembly yesterday.

The amended act explicitly provides a legal basis for establishing agencies dedicated to the probation, community service, lectures, and rehabilitation protection of juveniles, taking into account the developmental characteristics and environmental factors of youths that distinguish them from adults.

Accordingly, the newly established juvenile-dedicated agency will support delinquency prevention and stable reintegration of delinquent youths into society, spanning from preventive education to probation and post-care linkage.

Under the existing probation system, adults and juveniles were managed within the same space and operational framework, which had raised concerns that youths could be exposed to negative influences, such as learning adult criminal behavior.

According to the Ministry of Justice, the recidivism rate among juvenile probationers stands at around 12 to 13 percent, which is roughly three times that of adults.

Citing policies in major countries such as the United Kingdom, the Ministry plans to professionally intervene from the early stages of juvenile delinquency and more systematically manage the risk of reoffending.

Acting Minister of Justice Lee Jin-su stated, "We have established a new turning point to specialize juvenile probation 37 years after the introduction of the probation system," adding, "Moving forward, we will strengthen professional management and support tailored to the characteristics of juveniles to respond more systematically and effectively to juvenile crimes that cause public concern."

(Photo: Provided by Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.