Abstract EN:

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE XXth CENTURY, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOCIAL STATE IN INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES, THE ISSUE OF NEGLECTED AND ABANDONED CHILDREN GAINED GROUND. BEYOND SUCH CONCEPTS AS "GUILTY" OR "VICIOUS" CHILDREN, SOCIAL ACTORS IN THE AREA OF JUVENILE DEVIANCE PUT FORWARD THE IDEA OF CHILDREN "IN MORAL DANGER", WHO ARE IN NEED OF PROTECTION. THIS WAS AT THE ROOT OF A SPECIFIC LEGAL ORIENTATION FOR JUVENILES, WHERE JUVENILE COURTS HELD A KEY POSITION. STATES GAVE THEMSELVES THE RIGHT TO INTERVENE IN FAMILIES, THUS FAR VIEWED AS SACROSANCT. FAMILIES FROM POPULAR CLASSES WERE REGARDED AS SOMETIMES FAILING TO FULFIL THEIR EDUCATIVE AND SOCIALISING ROLE. THIS NEW JUVENILE JUSTICE WAS AT THE ROOTS OF THE DECRIMINALISATION PROCESS OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, THE PSYCHO-EDUCATIVE APPROACH TO YOUNG OFFENDERS, AS WELL AS THE EDUCATIVE ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES CONSIDERED AS PROBLEMATIC - APPROACHES THAT ARE NOW HOTLY DEBATED ON WESTERN POLITICAL SCENES.