The Dignity of Children Deprived of Liberty and Suspected of Committing Crimes

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: In this article the research objectives are the rights of children deprivedof liberty and suspected of having committed crimes in international and regional agreements aswell as in Swedish legislations and intended to preserve the child’s dignity. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The method applied to study their dignity is, onone hand, in the context of international and regional agreements; on the other hand, in the contextof Swedish legislations, which are relevant to these children. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The argument is whether in Sweden children underthe age of 15 years deprived of liberty and suspected of having committed crimes are treated ina manner consistent with promoting the child’s sense of dignity during the investigation of the crime.These children are of particular interest as they are more vulnerable than adults in the same situation;the spirit of dignity should therefore be more explicitly expressed for them. RESEARCH RESULTS: The research result confirms that dignity is fundamental for the rights ofchildren as expressed in the studied international and regional agreements and, more specifically,in the CRC Articles 37 and 40. CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Swedish legislations still needimprovements to preserve the dignity of children, particularly regarding the rights of children underthe age of 15 deprived of liberty and suspected of having committed crimes