Compliance with human and children’s rights as criteria in justice policy evaluations: adolescent criminal law as a case study

Abstract

Evaluations of criminal justice policy focus mainly on effectiveness in reducing recidivism. Public policy evaluations use multiple criteria. For youth justice policy evaluations in particular, compliance with human and children’s rights in everyday practice can be a specific criterion. This article argues for the relevance of using compliance with children’s rights in the daily practice of youth criminal justice as an evaluation criterion, and an example evaluation is provided. In a case study of the Dutch Adolescent Criminal Law (ACL), indicators related to these rights are evaluated in ACL policy theory and practice.