In my poster presentation I examine what kind of specific features appear in connection with the education and training of juvenile detainees, what kind of characteristic features this well-defined group has in the system of law enforcement, what kind of privileges the system provides for this group of convicts in the European Union. According to both the Beijing and the Havana Rules the importance of juvenile detainees’ education and training must be stressed, the European Prison Rules contain special rules concerning the training of this group.

My research questions are:

What kind of characteristic features does the education of juvenile detainees have?

What characterizes the juvenile detainees’ educational, reintegration process on the European Union level?

What kind of privileges are provided for the juvenile detainees during their education, training inside the law enforcement institutions by the member states?

In my poster I set out from the fact that it is quite important to deal with this topic from the point of view of educational sociology because the promotion of the replacement or the reintegration of those young people into the society who have slipped into the periphery of the society means a serious task for the law enforcement institutions. The participation in school education has a relatively bigger role in the case of juvenile detainees than in the case of their adult mates. The personality of the young people is still developing, that is why education can be more successful in their case than in the case of adults.

The juvenile detainees’ qualifications, grounding are lower than the average of the society, which indicates that there was some disorder in the normal socializing processes in the case of the majority of the detainees. Intellectual deficit and partial ability deficit are more frequent among them, thus reading, logical, motor deficiencies, disorders are overrepresented. They get to the institution with weakly developed personality and low education level on average.

At the same time the special situation of juvenile datinees makes the prison teachers’ work a lot more difficult, so during their criminal andragogical activity they have to pay special attention to the handling of the detainees’ schooling deficit and the separation of their special position. That is why special regulations are formulated by the member states and the European Union for the handling of this peculiar situation putting the juvenile detainees into a privileged position. Apart from the fact that knowledge transfer is more difficult in the case of juvenile detainees, their motivation is complex as well.

It is a problem that learning will have its real result only after release, quite often in the distant future, which will decrease the detainees’ interest in learning. Besides this, the disturbing effect of the forced community existing inside the prison walls makes their learning more difficult.

Despite all these difficulties, learning in prison has a lot of advantages. In the case of convicts who take part in education there are fewer discipline problems in prison, the rate of those who become subsequent offenders after release and commit another crime is much lower. As the knowledge, abilities and skills acquired and the documents certifying them can improve the released person’s labour market chances, moreover they can be important tools of repeat offence prevention, they can contribute to the prevention of the development of a criminal career.

Thus it is a key issue if it is successful to convince the young person of the importance of learning, getting knowledge and obtaining a qualification. Will it be successful to win him/her over as a cooperating party in the process of education or he/she remains a passive onlooker? 

• Alessandro Maculan – Daniela Ronco – Francesca Vianello (2013): Prison in Europe: overview and trends. Detention conditions in the European Union. European Prison Observatory. In: http://www.prisonobservatory.org/upload/PrisoninEuropeOverviewandtrends.pdf • Barry Goldsona – John Muncieb (2012): Towards a global ‘child friendly’ juvenile justice? International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice Volume 40, Issue 1, January 2012, pp. 47–64 • Braggins, J. – Talbot, J.(2005): Wings of Learning; the role of the prison officer in supporting prisoner education. Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. In: http://www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk/pdf/wings_of_learning.pdf • Brosens, Dorien – Donder, Liebeth – Dury, Sarah – Verté, Dominique (2015): Barriers to Participation in Vocational Orientation Programmes Among Prisoners. In: Journal of Prison Education and Reentry Vol. 2 No. 2, December, pp. 9-22 • Council of Europe (2006): European Prison Rules • Council of Europe (2008): Commentary to the European Rules for juvenile offenders subject to sanctions or measures. In: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/prisons/Commentary_Rec_2008_11E.pdf • Gemignani, Robert J. (1994): Juvenile Correctional Education: A Time for Change. OJJDP Update on Research. In: Juvenile Justice Bulletin, Oct. http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED382861 • Hawley, Jo – Murphy, Ilona – Souto-Otero, Manuel (2013): Prison education and training in Europe. Current state-of-play and challenges. A summary report authored for the European Commission by GHK Consulting. In: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/repository/education/library/study/2013/prison_en.pdf • Hurry, J. – Brazier, L. – Snapes, K. – Wilson, A. (2005): Improving the literacy and numeracy of disaffected young people in custody and in the community. In: http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=28# • Junger, Josine – Scott, Tas – Decker, H (2008): International Handbook of Juvenile Justice. Springer • MacDonald, Morag (2005): A study of the health care provision, existing drug services and strategies operating in prisons in ten countries from Central and Eastern Europe. In: https://www.peacepalacelibrary.nl/ebooks/files/HEUNI_f0gyxe5.pdf • United Nations (1985): United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (The Beijing Rules). Adopted by General Assembly resolution 40/33 of 29 November 1985 In: https://www.unodc.org/pdf/compendium/compendium_2006_part_01_02.pdf • United Nations (1990): United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. (The Havana Rules) Adopted by General Assembly resolution 45/113 of 14 December 1990. In: https://www.unodc.org/pdf/criminal_justice/United_Nations_Rules_for_the_Protection_of_Juveniles_Deprived_of_their_Liberty.pdf