“Evolving Capacities” and “Parental Guidance” in The context of Youth Justice

Abstract

Abstract Article 5 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (uncrc) is a pivotal children’s rights provision, which recognises the ‘responsibilities, rights and duties of parents’ to provide ‘appropriate direction and guidance’ to the child in the exercise of his/her rights, in a manner consistent with ‘the evolving capacities of the child’. Underpinning children as holders of rights, Article 5 bridges the gap between children who require parental support to exercise their rights and those who are capable of exercising them on their own behalf. There has been limited consideration of Article 5 to date and even less in specific contexts like juvenile justice. The uncrc has particular relevance to children in conflict with the law where issues of criminal responsibility, capacity and the role of parents are central. This article explores the application of Article 5 by querying the relevance of the principle of “evolving capacities” to children in conflict with the law and to the exercise of children’s rights in the criminal justice system. It considers what role, if any, ‘the responsibilities, rights and duties’ of parents have in such proceedings while addressing, more generally, whether Article 5 adds value to the child’s rights approach to youth justice.