Juvenile delinquency in Malta : what is being done and what more could be done to address the problem

Abstract

The main aim of this long essay was to look more deeply into the subject of juvenile delinquency in Malta, to see what is presently being done by he local Juvenile Justice System and the related services that deal with youths under the age of 16 who commit crimes and other offences. It was also the aim if this essay to find out what more could be done or in what different way the local system could function better. This was done by making some comparisons with what is happening in the United Kingdom about juvenile delinquency and by comparing the local system to the Standard Minimum Rules for the administration of Juvenile Justice set by the United Nations in 1986. This study brings out the fact that after more than 10 years from the development of these rules, the Maltese system is not following the minimum conditions expected by the United Nations. In fact, the suggestions presented for a more effective system for dealing with young offenders in Malta, are based on these rules and also on systems that have already proved useful in other counties such as the United Kingdom.