needs. Juveniles who are illiterate or have cognitive or learning difficulties should have the
right to special education.
Principle 41 Every detention facility should provide access to a library that is adequately
stocked with both instructional and recreational books and periodicals suitable for the
juveniles, who should be encouraged and enabled to make full use of it.
Principle 42 Every juvenile should have the right to receive vocational training in
occupations likely to prepare him or her for future employment.
Based on the findings pursuant to the activities carried out by the National
Preventive Mechanism representatives, it should be noted that in most establishments,
the right of the juveniles to education is respected. The establishments provide
education at the level of grammar school and/or primary school. In addition, they have
a rich offer of the workshop activities (as part of education at vocational school or
vocational courses) preparing the juveniles for practising a given profession.
However, it should be pointed out that the NMP representatives found the
violation of the right to education in JDC in Białystok. The juveniles staying in the
transition rooms (from 1 to 4 months) did not have the opportunity to fulfil their
schooling obligation. On the other hand, the records of JDC in Falenica lacked the
information on the conducted interactions and fulfilling the schooling obligation,
which raised the visiting persons' doubts about whether the right of the juveniles
staying in the transition rooms was respected in that regard.
The director of JDC in Falenica informed that he obliged the educational staff
to record interactions with respect to the juveniles, inter alia, fulfilling the compulsory
schooling obligation. The director of JDC in Białystok denied that the violations in
that respect had taken place – he stated that the juveniles staying in the transition room
fulfilled the schooling obligation.
i) Right to religious practices
Recommendations CM/Rec(2008)11 of the Committee of Ministers to the Member
States on the European Rules for juvenile offenders subject to sanctions or measures.
Principle 87.1 Juveniles’ freedom of thought, conscience and religion shall be respected.
Principle 87.2 The institutional regimen shall be organised so far as is practicable to allow
juveniles to practise their religion and follow their beliefs, to attend services or meetings led
by approved representatives of such religion or beliefs, to receive visits in private from such
representatives of their religion or beliefs and to have in their possession books or literature
relating to their religion or beliefs.
Principle 87.3 Juveniles may not be compelled to practise a religion, follow a belief, attend
religious services or meetings, take part in religious practices or to accept a visit from a
representative of any religion or belief.
Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the United Nations General
Assembly on 20 November 1989
Art. 14 point 1 States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought,
conscience and religion.
United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. General
Assembly resolution 45/113
Principle 48 Every juvenile should be allowed to satisfy the needs of his or her religious
and spiritual life, in particular by attending the services or meetings provided in the
detention facility or by conducting his or her own services and having possession of the
necessary books or items of religious observance and instruction of his or her denomination.
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