The Government Council of Juanma Moreno approves this Tuesday the decree that regulates the Creation of the first public observatory of juvenile justice in EuropeThis initiative will allow the autonomous community to be the first Spanish region with a specialized agency to analyze infractions and crimes committed by minors, identify their causes and develop adapted solutions using statistical tools.
A pioneering project to address the problem of juvenile offenders
The creation of this observatory is part of a context where recent events have put the spotlight on the involvement of minors in violent crimes, such as the recent stabbing among teenagers in Córdoba. Although blood crimes are exceptional in this age group - the most frequent are robberies and injuries - this type of incident reinforces the need for a thorough analysis of the effectiveness of reintegration measures.
From the Ministry of Justice, Local Administration and Civil Service they highlight that Andalusia is a world leader in the re-education of minors with violent behaviour, Achieving a 80% success rateThis leadership has attracted the attention of various prosecutors from South American and European countries, such as France and Belgium, who have visited our country to study its practices.
At the European level, Only Belgium has a juvenile justice observatory, although it is managed by a private entity. The Andalusian, on the other hand, will be completely public. and will provide more detailed information tailored to evolving crime patterns.
An organization with a clear structure and defined objectives
The new decree details the structure of the juvenile justice observatory, which will have José Antonio Nieto and Ana María Corredera as president and vice president, respectively. The body will also include representatives of the Administration of the Government of Juanma Moreno, such as the general director of Juvenile Justice and Cooperation, the heads of the Andalusian Institutes for Youth and Women, as well as representatives of the judicial career, the High Prosecutor's Office of Andalusia, the Andalusian Council of Bar Associations (Cadeca), the city councils and the university.
The observatory will initially be supported by the Prisma program, which manages juvenile justice in the community. In addition, a website will be set up so that the reports generated are available to the public, safeguarding personal data.
A focus on reintegration and multidisciplinary collaboration
One of the main objectives of the juvenile justice observatory is to become a Meeting point for experts —psychologists, educators, professors— who can contribute their knowledge to periodic working groups. The collegiate body will meet annually, except for extraordinary meetings.
This new body is emerging 25 years after the approval of the Law on Criminal Responsibility of Minors, which establishes measures of confinement or open environment depending on the case. This latter regime has gained weight in recent years due to its greater effectiveness in reintegration.
The open environment includes community service and stays in groups with educators. During these programs, minors acquire skills to assume responsibilities, something that in many cases they have not learned in their family environment. In addition, work is also done with their families to prevent violent behavior from recurring.
Juvenile justice in figures
The Government of Juanma Moreno has seventeen educational groups and eight comprehensive services that manage open environment measures. Currently, More than two hundred municipalities and entities collaborate as recipients of the work for the benefit of the community.
During the first half of 2024, 3.295 Andalusian minors complied with measures in an open environment, of which 2.702 were boys and 593 were girls. In comparison, 861 minors remained in detention, with girls accounting for only 13% of the total.
The most common crimes among minors are those related to injuries and property (robbery or theft), followed by crimes against moral integrity. More serious cases, such as the recent murder in Córdoba, necessarily involve imprisonment, which can be up to six years.
Decrease in the number of minors hospitalized
In the last ten years, Andalusia has experienced a 50% drop in the number of minors hospitalized. If in 2014 there were 914 minors in this situation, in 2023 the figure was reduced to 593. In parallel, the open environment has also decreased, going from 3.833 cases in 2014 to 2.572 in 2023.
In total, Juvenile justice has handled 41.300 cases in the last decadeThis volume of data will be analysed by the new observatory, which will identify patterns and propose improvements to the system. The organisation is expected to be operational within six months.
