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(a) In-depth analyses of the problem and
inventories of programmes, services, facilities and resources available;
(b) Well-defined responsibilities for the
qualified agencies, institutions and personnel involved in preventive efforts;
(c) Mechanisms for the appropriate coordination of prevention efforts between governmental and non-governmental agencies;
(d) Policies, programmes and strategies
based on prognostic studies to be continuously monitored and carefully evaluated in
the course of implementation;
(e) Methods for effectively reducing the
opportunity to commit delinquent acts;
(f) Community involvement through a wide
range of services and programmes;
(g) Close interdisciplinary cooperation
between national, State, provincial and
local governments, with the involvement of
the private sector representative citizens of
the community to be served, and labour,
child-care, health education, social, law
enforcement and judicial agencies in taking
concerted action to prevent juvenile delinquency and youth crime;
(h) Youth participation in delinquency prevention policies and processes, including
recourse to community resources, youth
self-help, and victim compensation and
assistance programmes;
(i) Specialized personnel at all levels.
IV. SOCIALIZATION PROCESSES
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10. Emphasis should be placed on preventive
policies facilitating the successful socialization
and integration of all children and young persons, in particular through the family, the community, peer groups, schools, vocational training and the world of work, as well as through
voluntary organizations. Due respect should be
given to the proper personal development of
children and young persons, and they should
be accepted as full and equal partners in socialization and integration processes.
A. Family
11. Every society should place a high priority
on the needs and well-being of the family and
of all its members.
12. Since the family is the central unit responsible for the primary socialization of children,
governmental and social efforts to preserve the
integrity of the family, including the extended
family, should be pursued. The society has a
responsibility to assist the family in providing
care and protection and in ensuring the physical and mental well-being of children. Adequate arrangements including day-care should
be provided.
13. Governments should establish policies that
are conducive to the bringing up of children in
stable and settled family environments. Families in need of assistance in the resolution of
conditions of instability or conflict should be
provided with requisite services.
14. Where a stable and settled family environment is lacking and when community efforts
to assist parents in this regard have failed and
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the extended family cannot fulfil this role,
alternative placements, including foster care
and adoption, should be considered. Such
placements should replicate, to the extent possible, a stable and settled family environment,
while, at the same time, establishing a sense of
permanency for children, thus avoiding problems associated with “foster drift“.
15. Special attention should be given to children of families affected by problems brought
about by rapid and uneven economic, social
and cultural change, in particular the children
of indigenous, migrant and refugee families. As
such changes may disrupt the social capacity of
the family to secure the traditional rearing and
nurturing of children, often as a result of role
and culture conflict, innovative and socially
constructive modalities for the socialization of
children have to be designed.
16. Measures should be taken and programmes
developed to provide families with the opportunity to learn about parental roles and obligations as regards child development and child
care, promoting positive parent-child relationships, sensitizing parents to the problems of
children and young persons and encouraging
their involvement in family and community-based activities.
17. Governments should take measures to promote family cohesion and harmony and to discourage the separation of children from their
parents, unless circumstances affecting the
welfare and future of the child leave no viable
alternative.
18. It is important to emphasize the socialization function of the family and extended family; it is also equally important to recognize the
future role, responsibilities, participation and
partnership of young persons in society.
19. In ensuring the right of the child to proper
socialization, Governments and other agencies
should rely on existing social and legal agencies, but, whenever traditional institutions and
customs are no longer effective, they should
also provide and allow for innovative measures.
B. Education
20. Governments are under an obligation to
make public education accessible to all young
persons.
21. Education systems should, in addition to
their academic and vocational training activities, devote particular attention to the following:
(a) Teaching of basic values and developing
respect for the child’s own cultural identity
and patterns, for the social values of the
country in which the child is living, for civilizations different from the child’s own
and for human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(b) Promotion and development of the personality, talents and mental and physical
abilities of young people to their fullest
potential;
(c) Involvement of young persons as active
and effective participants in, rather than
mere objects of, the educational process;
(d) Undertaking activities that foster a
sense of identity with and of belonging to
the school and the community;
(e) Encouragement of young persons to
understand and respect diverse views and
opinions, as well as cultural and other differences;
(f) Provision of information and guidance
regarding vocational training, employment
opportunities and career development;
(g) Provision of positive emotional support
to young persons and the avoidance of psychological maltreatment;
(h) Avoidance of harsh disciplinary measures, particularly corporal punishment.
22. Educational systems should seek to work
together with parents, community organizations and agencies concerned with the activities of young persons.
23. Young persons and their families should be
informed about the law and their rights and
responsibilities under the law, as well as the
universal value system, including United
Nations instruments.
24. Educational systems should extend particular care and attention to young persons
who are at social risk. Specialized prevention
programmes and educational materials, curricula, approaches and tools should be developed and fully utilized.
25. Special attention should be given to comprehensive policies and strategies for the prevention of alcohol, drug and other substance
abuse by young persons. Teachers and other
professionals should be equipped and trained
to prevent and deal with these problems. Information on the use and abuse of drugs, including alcohol, should be made available to the
student body.
26. Schools should serve as resource and referral centres for the provision of medical, counselling and other services to young persons,
particularly those with special needs and suffering from abuse, neglect, victimization and
exploitation.
27. Through a variety of educational programmes, teachers and other adults and the
student body should be sensitized to the problems, needs and perceptions of young persons,
particularly those belonging to underprivileged, disadvantaged, ethnic or other minority
and low-income groups.
28. School systems should attempt to meet
and promote the highest professional and
educational standards with respect to
curricula, teaching and learning methods and
approaches, and the recruitment and training
of qualified teachers. Regular monitoring and
assessment of performance by the appropriate
professional organizations and authorities
should be ensured.
29. School systems should plan, develop and
implement extracurricular activities of interest
to young persons, in co-operation with community groups.
30. Special assistance should be given to children and young persons who find it difficult to
comply with attendance codes, and to
“drop-outs“.
31. Schools should promote policies and rules
that are fair and just; students should be represented in bodies formulating school policy,
RIYADH GUIDELINES