DIVERSION MODEL OF RESPONDING TO JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM

Danica Vasiljević-Prodanović; Milica Kovačević

doi:10.5937/ptp2203125V

Authors

Danica Vasiljević-Prodanović Faculty for Special Education and Rehabilitation, University of Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5236-1308
Milica Kovačević Faculty for Special Education and Rehabilitation, University of Belgrade, Serbia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5937/ptp2203125V

Keywords:

diversion model, juveniles, social welfare, law

Abstract

Advocating for the widest possible diversionary response to juvenile delinquency is a general trend and a key tendency of modern juvenile criminal law. Scientific research and the focus on the best interests of the child strongly support the aforementioned facts. However, there is arisen a question concerning the fact how the general and abstract support for diversion and suspension of criminal proceedings, and transferring the juvenile oﬀenders to the social welfare system, is reﬂected in everyday practice. Therefore, the paper starts with some introductory considerations about the concept and positive aspects of the diversion model, followed by the review of certain criticisms addressed to it. We devote the central part of the paper to the analysis of data related to Serbia and the social welfare service in Belgrade, in order to test the hypothesis of insufficiency of support for the diversion model in practice. The aim of this paper is to conceptualize recommendations for improving the practice of dealing with juvenile oﬀenders in the juvenile justice system. We used an analytical-synthetic approach with the use of content analysis, normative, comparative and descriptive-statistical method.

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