Penal Issues (2006->) juin 2004

OF WHAT USE ARE LAWYERS FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS ?

par Patricia BÉNEC’H-LE ROUX,

Patricia BÉNEC’H-LE ROUX, a researcher at the CESDIP, discusses the findings of her doctoral thesis in sociology, on the role of lawyers on the criminal justice scene for minors, supervised by Philippe ROBERT and defended at the University of Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

This research deals with the role of lawyers in juvenile courts. Sociological observation of specific situations shows tension between the roles prescribed for one actor, the expectations of other actors and the roles actually played by that one actor. The present analysis addresses this tension, based on the sociology of professions and the sociology of juvenile justice. Data was collected through a qualitative survey based on observation of the lawyer’s work during penal hearings (in the judge’s chambers and in the courtroom) and on about fifty semi-directive interviews of lawyers for juveniles and juvenile court judges, as well as on informal talks with other actors in juvenile justice in three different court districts. Most data was collected over a three-year period : 1997-1998-1999.

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151.7 ko

PI 06/2004