CONFERENCE HELD BY EXPERTS ENGAGED IN THE AREA OF JUVENILE CRIME AND MISDEMEANOR

Fifth conference gathering experts engaged in the area of juvenile crime and misdemeanor in the South Bačka District was held today at the Banquet Room of the Novi Sad City Hall.

The Conference was attended by the Director of the Novi Sad Social Work Center Mr. Dragan Drašković, as well as by representatives of the judiciary system, judge for juvenile delinquency of the Novi Sad Higher Court Ms. Milica Novaković, Deputy Public Prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office Ms. Mirjana Vujičić, judge of the Novi Sad Magistrate Court Ms. Sofija Zarubac, judges of the Novi Sad Court of Appeal, as well as by the employees of the Interior Ministry of RS.

- Novi Sad Social Work Center as the largest in the District, and one of the largest in the country, organizes the Fifth Annual Conference in order to present models of positive approach to work and to point out the importance of active involvement of the society and local community in suppressing juvenile delinquency. In order to achieve this, we require excellent inter-institutional cooperation of all the stakeholders engaged with young people in conflict with law. Conference of experts engaged in the area of juvenile crime and misdemeanor in the South Bačka District is an excellent example of good practice and dedication of numerous experts and professionals from all areas involved in working with this group of users. – said Mr. Drašković.

- When one discusses juvenile delinquency in the South Bačka District in 2014, one notices a 20-percent decrease of reported juvenile misdemeanor related to property offense, which otherwise represents the largest portion of juvenile delinquency. Regarding other types of juvenile delinquency, one also notices significant decrease, except in the area of domestic violence and motor vehicle theft. One supposes that contributing factors for such decrease are probably our synchronized activities throughout the entire District, as well as the recent lawyers’ strike, although court proceedings involving under-age individuals have priority. – said Novi Sad Court of Appeal judge Mr. Savo Đurđić and added that he supports the changes and amendments to the Law on Juvenile Perpetrators of Criminal Offenses. 

One of the important topics of this year’s conference is also the educatory warrant, which are used for correct development of minors, for raising their responsibility and possibility to prevent further delinquency. During last year, Novi Sad Social Work Center, together with the Belgrade, Niš and Kragujevac Centers, participated in the Improvement of Educatory Warrant Implementation Project, realized by the State Institute for Social Protection, with support from the Kingdom of Norway and the International Management Group. The Work on improvement of educatory warrant implementation will continue in the following two years with support from UNICEF.

In Novi Sad, March 6^th 2015