Children in conflict with the

Law
CRC Articles 37, 40 and 41

Children in conflict with

the law
refers to anyone under 18 who comes into

contact with the justice system as a result

of being suspected or accused of
committing an offence. Most children in
conflict with the law have committed petty
crimes or such minor offences as vagrancy,
truancy, begging or alcohol use.
Status offenses are those which are
punishable only when committed by minors
but not punishable when committed by
adults

Role of UNICEF
UNICEFs focus within Juvenile Justice UNICEF believes

that jails and detention should be a last resort for

children in conflict with the law. UNICEFs work in
juvenile justice focuses on reducing recourse to
deprivation of liberty, through the promotion of noncustodial sanctions, restorative justice, and diversion.
UNICEF aims to create a protective environment for all
children, which implies a systemic, multi-level
approach
that
includes
securing
government
commitment, building capacities, reforming laws,
monitoring and reporting rights violations, changing
peoples attitudes, building childrens own skills, and
providing reintegration services.

Philippine Setting
The Rules reference the Convention on the

Rights of the Child and UN standards on

juvenile justice, and have significantly
altered criminal proceedings involving
children, ensuring respect for their due
process rights and making the process
much more child-sensitive. Using the
Courts power to settle certain cases, the
Rules introduce pre-arraignment referral to
a diversion committee, allowing children
charged with minor offences to be
processed outside the formal court system
as required by the CRC.