Towards a Just Future

An Analysis of Global Juvenile Justice Systems

Abstract

This article showcases how the current global juvenile justice system is an entity that is markedly insufficient. In its current form, the system disregards long standing human rights orders, blatantly ignores differential development within a child’s psyche, and perpetuates the cycles of harm that youth are so often chained to. This analysis argues the urgent need for comprehensive and equitable measures that prioritize the well-being and rights of young individuals entangled in criminal justice systems worldwide. Multiple case studies are introduced to examine the reality of youth justice internationally. Thus, it is uncovered that the current lack of standardization poses a threat to children’s human rights, and as such, inalienability, uniform sanctions, and a turn towards restorative justice are suggested as forming the basis of necessary systems change.