Juvenile imprisonment

Juvenile delinquency is a negative social phenomenon and a socio-legal problem that has always existed in all societies of the world. In our country, the social response to juvenile crime has evolved over time. Initially, juveniles were treated as adults, and the primary purpose of punishment was repression. However, with the adoption of the Law on Juvenile Offenders and Criminal Protection of Juveniles in 2005, significant changes occurred. The new system of punishment primarily focuses on the protection, correction, and rehabilitation of juveniles. For this purpose, corrective orders are issued first. However, when the dimensions of juvenile crime surpass the possibilities offered by the application of corrective orders, criminal sanctions are imposed. Juvenile imprisonment is the only punishment recognized by our juvenile criminal legislation. It is applied as an "ultima ratio" for older juveniles, only when the legal requirements are met. The subject of the paper is precisely the analysis of the content of the sentence of juvenile imprisonment, the legal conditions for imposing it and the manner of its execution. The aim is to review the fundamental positive legal decisions in the Republic of Serbia related to the sentence of juvenile imprisonment and the criminal legal status of juveniles.