Suchergebnisse

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: In this article the research objectives are the rights of children deprived of liberty and suspected of having committed crimes in international and regional agreements as well 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, on one hand, in the context of international and regional agreements; on the other hand, in the context of Swedish legislations, which are relevant to these children. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The argument is whether in Sweden children under the age of 15 years deprived of liberty and suspected of having committed crimes are treated in a 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 of children 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 need improvements to preserve the dignity of children, particularly regarding the rights of children under the age of 15 deprived of liberty and suspected of having committed 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.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to investigate whether the protection of the child has been considered sufficiently compared with the interests of the autonomy of the family within Swedish legislation.THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The autonomy of the family is well protected by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Article 8, where the right to family life is stipulated. But the article also authorises the right of a public authority to interfere in family life in accordance with the law for the prevention of crime. One reason for such interference could be the suspicion of domestic violence, which for centuries was considered to be a private concern. Article 3 of the Convention also forbids exposing a person to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The rights of the family are also expressed in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 16), but more specifically in its view of the child. In the case of domestic violence, the Convention in Article 19 clarifies the responsibility of signatory states to protect the child from all kinds of assault by measures such as prevention and identification.THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: Due to the fact that domestic violence exists to such an extent that it severely affects society in different ways, Swedish legislation has been modified on several occasions.RESEARCH RESULTS: Even if the aim of those changes has been to uphold the autonomy of the family while preventing and identifying assaults within the family – particularly where children are involved – the question remains whether the protection of the child has been considered sufficiently compared with the interests of the autonomy of the family.CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: In order to guarantee children a childhood and adolescence consisting of care, security and a good upbringing, further improvements – particularly within the Penal Code (1962:700) – are necessary to prevent and identify domestic violence against children.

Within the sphere of law, it is the recognition of its subjects - women, men, children and private or public entities - which has been the most prominent facet of national, regional or international relations. The dominance of the question of recognition

Background Laws on compulsory commitment to care (CCC) in mental health, social and criminal legislation for adult persons with alcohol and/or drug dependence or misuse problems are constructed to address different scenarios related to substance use disorders. This study examines how such CCC laws in European states vary in terms of legal rights, formal orders of decision and criteria for involuntary admission, and assesses whether three legal frameworks (criminal, mental and social law) equally well ensure human and civil rights. Methods Thirty-nine laws, from 38 countries, were analysed. Respondents replied in web-based questionnaires concerning a) legal rights afforded the persons with substance use problems during commitment proceedings, b) sources of formal application, c) instances for decision on admission, and d) whether or not 36 different criteria could function as grounds for decisions on CCC according to the law in question. Analysis of a-c were conducted in bivariate cross-tabulations. The 36 criteria for admission were sorted in criteria groups based on principal component analysis (PCA). To investigate whether legal rights, decision-making authorities or legal criteria may discriminate between types of law on CCC, discriminant analyses (DA) were conducted. Results There are few differences between the three types of law on CCC concerning legal rights afforded the individual. However, proper safeguards of the rights against unlawful detention seem still to be lacking in some CCC laws, regardless type of law. Courts are the decision-making body in 80 % of the laws, but this varies clearly between law types. Criteria for CCC also differ between types of law, i.e. concerning who should be treated: dependent offenders, persons with substance use problems with acting out or aggressive behaviors, or other vulnerable persons with alcohol or drug problems. Conclusion The study raises questions concerning whether various European CCC laws in relation to substance use disorder or misuse problems comply with international ratified conventions concerning human and civil rights. This, however, applies to all three types of law, i.e. social, mental health and criminal legislation. The main differences between law types concern legal criteria, reflecting different national priorities on implicit ambitions of CCC – for correction, for prevention, or for support to those in greatest need of care.

Background Laws on compulsory commitment to care (CCC) in mental health, social and criminal legislation for adult persons with alcohol and/or drug dependence or misuse problems are constructed to address different scenarios related to substance use disorders. This study examines how such CCC laws in European states vary in terms of legal rights, formal orders of decision and criteria for involuntary admission, and assesses whether three legal frameworks (criminal, mental and social law) equally well ensure human and civil rights. Methods Thirty-nine laws, from 38 countries, were analysed. Respondents replied in web-based questionnaires concerning a) legal rights afforded the persons with substance use problems during commitment proceedings, b) sources of formal application, c) instances for decision on admission, and d) whether or not 36 different criteria could function as grounds for decisions on CCC according to the law in question. Analysis of a-c were conducted in bivariate cross-tabulations. The 36 criteria for admission were sorted in criteria groups based on principal component analysis (PCA). To investigate whether legal rights, decision-making authorities or legal criteria may discriminate between types of law on CCC, discriminant analyses (DA) were conducted. Results There are few differences between the three types of law on CCC concerning legal rights afforded the individual. However, proper safeguards of the rights against unlawful detention seem still to be lacking in some CCC laws, regardless type of law. Courts are the decision-making body in 80 % of the laws, but this varies clearly between law types. Criteria for CCC also differ between types of law, i.e. concerning who should be treated: dependent offenders, persons with substance use problems with acting out or aggressive behaviors, or other vulnerable persons with alcohol or drug problems. Conclusion The study raises questions concerning whether various European CCC laws in relation to substance use disorder or misuse problems comply with international ratified conventions concerning human and civil rights. This, however, applies to all three types of law, i.e. social, mental health and criminal legislation. The main differences between law types concern legal criteria, reflecting different national priorities on implicit ambitions of CCC – for correction, for prevention, or for support to those in greatest need of care.