Experts debate key reforms for the juvenile justice system in the Dominican Republic
With the goal of transforming the legal framework governing childhood and adolescence, the Cabinet for Children and Adolescents (GANA), the National Council for Children and Adolescents (CONANI), APEC University (UNAPEC), and the Institutionalism and Justice Foundation (FINJUS) held a high-level panel to analyze the proposed modifications to Law 136-03.
The meeting, focused on the “Comprehensive Code for the Protection of Children and Adolescents,” served as a stage for jurists, academics, and justice system operators to evaluate Book III of the preliminary draft, which addresses adolescent criminal justice. The discussion focused on the need to build a more specialized system that prioritizes restorative justice and guarantees effective social reintegration.
An academic and social commitment
During the opening, the rector of UNAPEC, Erik Pérez Vega, highlighted the fundamental role of universities in legislative change processes. Pérez Vega urged law students to view regulations not only as a technical text, but as a vital tool for the protection of human dignity and the strengthening of society.
We trust that the ideas will transcend this stage and contribute to strengthening our country’s institutions.
Erik Pérez Vega, Rector of UNAPEC
For her part, the executive president of CONANI, Ligia Jeannette Pérez Peña, stressed that the reform process, which has been ongoing for more than a year, is the result of a collective effort that integrates more than 70 public and private institutions, in addition to having the advice of a High-Level Advisory Committee.
Towards restorative justice
Technical consultants Joan García Fabián and Yudelka Polanco presented the pillars of the proposal, emphasizing that the penal treatment for adolescents must be mandatorily differentiated from that of adults. The proposed approach seeks to understand the conditions of vulnerability and the developmental stage of young people, minimizing recidivism through reintegration programs.
Pending challenges in the reform
The panel also allowed for the identification of critical areas that require greater technical depth. Magistrate Francisco Antonio Pérez Lora, presiding judge of the Court of Appeals for Children and Adolescents of the National District, pointed out essential points for the improvement of the system:
- Clarify the state response regarding non-imputable adolescents.
- Define the jurisdiction of judicial chambers with greater precision.
- Establish care protocols for migrant or undocumented minors.
Finally, Carlos Guerrero, director of the DINAIACLP, highlighted the importance of continuity in monitoring adolescents after their release from care centers, stressing that effective reintegration depends on long-term multidisciplinary support. The event, moderated by Servio Tulio Castaños Guzmán, reaffirmed the institutions’ commitment to achieving a modern and humane code.
