A minor who commits criminal acts and his parents will be obliged to participate in special psychological counseling programs, according to a draft law adopted on Tuesday by the deputies. According to the Criminal Code, minors who have not reached the age of 14 are not criminally liable, and those between the ages of 14 and 16 are criminally liable only if it is proven that they committed the criminal acts with discretion.
InstancePhoto: Maren Winter | Dreamstime.com
The draft law adopted on Tuesday by the Chamber of Deputies, decision-making in this case, modifies and completes articles from the law on the protection and promotion of children’s rights and from the Criminal Code and passed with 228 votes “for” and 36 abstentions.
The initiative aims to establish the obligation of the minor aggressor and his family to participate in special psychological counseling programs, organized by public or private specialist services, and in the absence of parental consent, the measure can be ordered by the competent courts, in charge of the minor aggressor.
According to the project, “the parents of the child who commits criminal acts and is not criminally liable have the obligation to participate in the special psychological counseling programs organized by the General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection or by other public or private specialized institutions”.
At the same time, the child will participate in special psychological counseling programs, with the consent of the parents or another legal representative, unless the court orders otherwise.
In the absence of parental consent, the measure can be ordered by the court, the normative act also provides.
The project also provides for the amendment of art. 121 of the Criminal Code in this regard. “During the execution of non-custodial educational measures, the court may require the minor to participate, alone or, as the case may be, together with the parents or with another legal representative, in special psychological counseling programs, organized by the General Directorate of Social Assistance and Protection The child or by other specialized public or private institutions”, stipulates the adopted text. (Source: Agerpres / Photo: Dreamstime.com)
