Juvenile Justice Converges on Principles Leading to the International Harmonization of the Juvenile Justice System

In November 1989, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This Convention expected member countries to harmonize their juvenile justice systems in the direction of making the best interest of the child the main focus of their justice administration, guaranteeing the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms of children. South Africa and the United States are examples of how member countries abided by the Convention. On one hand, South Africa ratified the Convention and gave children a unique position in its juvenile justice system, whereas, on the other hand, the United States has signed the instrument but has not fully eradicated the typical punitive traits of its system; nonetheless, both countries still move in the direction of the shared international values. In particular, in the United States, individual States – such as Massachusetts – are showing how it is possible to successfully implement the international values shared in the Convention moving to a rehabilitation model.