In the second week of December, not one but two minors were sent to the adult prison in Schrassig, which once again ignited the debate around youth protection and criminal law in Luxembourg. The problem is complex and plays out on three levels: infrastructure, legislature, and the treatment of minors.
In May 2022, former Justice Minister Sam Tanson and Education Minister Claude Meisch announced new criminal laws for minors, with three draft laws now underway.
The Ombudsman for Children and Youth, Charel Schmit, welcomed that - after 30 years - Luxembourg is finally taking a new approach by differentiating child protection from youth delinquency. He believes that this will not only be beneficial to young offenders, but also to their victims.
According to Schmit, the underlying thought behind the approach should be to educate and reeducate: “The main goal is to help young people who have lost their way find [it] back to society, to rehabilitate them, and to show them that there are other ways to solve conflicts than violence and crime.”
Schmit further highlighted the need for young offenders to help repair the damage they have made, whether that be through community service or confrontation with their victims.
