Georgia introduces programme of removing juveniles from criminal liability

The programme of removal (exclusion) of juveniles from criminal punishments, which is now operating in six cities in Georgia, will be gradually spread throughout the whole country.

Initially, the programme was launched in July 2011 in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Gori, Kutaisi, Samtredia and Batumi. Minors who are serving their sentences under this programme are not put into penal institutions and are not regarded as convicts.

The exclusion is an alternative to criminal prosecution. If there is a conclusive assumption that the minor has committed his or her first less serious crime, the prosecutor's office may withdraw this minor from a criminal penalty.

This programme was a pilot one, and now it will gradually cover the entire country, the "News-Georgia" reports.

"The programme allowed us to exempt 84 teenagers from criminal penalties. Only in one case there was a repeated crime. This positive result has allowed us to expand the programme's coverage," the "Georgia Online" quotes David Sikharulidze, First Deputy General Public Prosecutor of Georgia.

It is assumed that when juveniles are removed from criminal punishment, they should recover the damage to the injured party. The compensation procedure is supervised by special employees - mediators, the "Business Georgia" writes.