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The application of the Beijing Rules under Laws 19.970 and 20.084

Authors

  • Andrea Fabiola Díaz-Muñoz Bagolini Abogada. Juez titular del 4º Juzgado de Garantía de Santiago, alumna Magíster “Tutela Judicial de Derechos Fundamentales, la protección jurisdiccional en materia de género y menores”, Universidad de Jaen, España

Abstract

The Beijing Rules must be deemed to have been incorporated into Chilean legislation due to the provisions of Article Two, Section Two of Law 20.084, which requires that the rights as well as guarantees contained, among others, in the Convention on the Rights of Child, be respected. The preamble of the Convention determines that State Parties recognize, among other regulations, “the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice or Beijing Rules”, as a right that must be respected and implemented in issues involving minors. Article 21.2 of the Beijing Rules prohibits the use of criminal records in subsequent cases in which a now-adult subject is implicated. The State must also respect the dignity of minors, fostering their reintegration and propitiating minimal intervention. Thus, it is not appropriate to incorporate the DNA fingerprint of a minor in the Criminal Registry. Indeed, the Chilean Supreme Court has ruled that such a sanction is inappropriate. Furthermore, even if inclusion of minors in the Criminal Registry is not considered a criminal sanction, but rather an administrative action, records of minors should be remove upon coming-of-age.

Keywords:

Children, Beijing, Law, Dignity, Criminal Registry