Teaching Criminal Law Procedure in Universities: Meeting the Needs of Juveniles in Criminal Legal Practice

Abstract

Children's involvement in school disciplinary problems is often a predictor of their involvement in crime in the future, resulting in them coming into contact with the criminal justice system. Therefore, teaching final-year law students the subject of criminal procedure, particularly governing the juvenile justice system, is essential for legal practice, especially when the legal rights of the children need to be protected since they are vulnerable to the adverse effects of the juvenile justice system. In this connection, the objectives of this paper are (a) to examine the underpinning causes behind children’s involvement in disciplinary problems in schools as predictors of their future involvement in crime; (b) to analyse the existing legal framework governing the juvenile justice system in Malaysia that forms part of the subject of criminal law procedure, and (c) to examine the importance of teaching criminal law procedure subject to final-year law students in preparing them for legal practice, especially when dealing with juveniles in the juvenile justice system. A qualitative research design is undertaken to explore the significance of teaching criminal law procedure to final-year law students by undertaking library-based research and an examination of content analysis, drawing from both primary and secondary sources. The findings in this research demonstrate that children who commit disciplinary problems in schools, such as truancy and bullying, will eventually come into contact with the criminal justice system, and their legal rights need to be protected. This research is significant in meeting the university’s mission, vision and values and supporting the national framework for reducing crime rates and strengthening crime prevention initiatives.