Juvenile adjudication and juvenile rights protection

Maloljetničko kazneno pravo počelo se razvijati postepeno, osobito u smjeru priznavanja problematike maloljetničke delikvencije koja u sebi krije neke specifičnosti i jak temelj za daljnji razvoj kriminaliteta. U svrhu njezina suzbijanja izrazito je važno postalo donošenje niza odredbi sa preventivnim, odvraćajućim i odgojnim učinkom usmjerenih na pomoć i zaštitu mladih počinitelja. Uzimajući u obzir taj primaran zadatak djelovanja prema maloljetnim počiniteljima, bilo je nužno posebno urediti i postupke prema maloljetnicima tako da se u obzir uzmu opći standardi u razvoju djece i maloljetnika te ličnost i potrebe svakog pojedinog maloljetnika koji bi se našao u kaznenopravnom sustavu. Kako je došlo do shvaćanja da je potrebno osigurati posebna pravila kojima će se urediti kaznenopravna zaštita djece i mladeži, reformski pothvat u Republici Hrvatskoj rezultirao je 1997. godine donošenjem prvog Zakona o sudovima za mladež koji je, kao lex specialis, dobio prednost naspram odredbi kaznenog zakona namjenjenih punoljetnim počiniteljima. No, ulaskom Republike Hrvatske u Europsku Uniju, europsko zakonodavstvo uvelike je utjecalo svojim instrumentima, posebice direktivama, na razvoj kaznenog postupka u želji da se postigne što veći stupanj harmonizacije, propisujući pojedinačna prava okrivljenika u kaznenom postupku. Proces harmonizacije prava okrivljenika u kaznenom postupku zahvatio je i maloljetnike te je u tu svrhu, u skladu sa Smjernicama za jačanje postupovnih prava osumnjičenika i okrivljenika u kaznenom postupku, donesena Direktiva 2016/800 o postupovnim jamstvima za djecu koja su osumnjičenici ili optuženici u kaznenom postupku. Sve države članice bile su dužne implementirati ju do 11. lipnja 2019., a Republika Hrvatska izvršila ju je zadnjim izmjenama Zakona o Sudovima za mladež.Juvenile criminal law began to develop gradually, especially in the direction of recognizing the problem of juvenile delinquency, which hides some specifics and a strong foundation for the further development of criminality. In order to suppress it, it became extremely important to adopt a series of provisions with a preventive, deterrent and educational effect aimed at helping and protecting young offenders. Taking into account the primary task of dealing with juvenile offenders, it was necessary to regulate the procedures for juveniles in a way that takes into account general standards in the development of children and juveniles, as well as the personality and needs of each individual juvenile who finds himself in the criminal justice system. As it was understood that it’s necessary to provide special rules that will regulate the criminal protection of children and juveniles, a reform in the Republic of Croatia resulted the adoption of the first Juvenile Courts Act in 1997, which, as lex specialis, took precedence over the provisions of the criminal law intended for adult offenders. However, by entering the Republic of Croatia into the European Union, European legislation greatly influenced the development of the criminal procedure with its instruments, especially directives, in the desire to achieve the greatest degree of harmonization, prescribing the individual rights of defendants in criminal proceedings. The process of harmonization defendant’s rights in criminal proceedings also affected minors, and for this purpose, in accordance with the Resolution on a Roadmap for strengthening the procedural rights of suspected or accused persons in criminal proceedings, the Directive (EU) 2016/800 on procedural safeguards for children who are suspects or accused persons in criminal proceedings, was adopted. All member States were obliged to transposed it by June 11, 2019., and the Republic of Croatia did that with the latest changes of Juvenile Courts Act