Reducing Juvenile Crimes and Recidivism in Korea

• In Event: Roundtable: Are Juvenile Problems Under Control? Seeking Effective Responses and Developing Better Strategies

Abstract

According to the Crime Analysis Report published by the Korean Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (SPO), of all juvenile cases referred to the Korean prosecution service from 2006 to 2015, the proportion of adjudicated delinquents who have any number of prior court referrals were increased from 28.9 percent in 2006 to 42.6 percent in 2015. So did the proportion of adjudicated delinquents ordered to protective dispositions for prior offences from 4.4 percent to 16.5 percent during the same period. In addressing the root causes of juvenile crime and re-offending, it is essential to not only put in place a strict compliance monitoring system, but also to establish a comprehensive mechanism that addresses the multifaceted risk factors affecting both at-risk youths and youths involved in the criminal system. The government needs to address (a) overlapping guidelines in treating adult and juvenile offenders that ignore the unique needs of juvenile offenders, (b) a lack of scientific methods to diagnose and address causes of delinquency, and (c) a lack of effective instructions in reducing the recidivism rate of juvenile offenders.

Author

• Jea Hyen Soung, Korean Institute of Criminology