SBS program examines detention of juveniles at risk of committing crimes

The SBS program "Unanswered Questions" will broadcast this Saturday at 11:10 PM to examine the dilemma of "delinquent juveniles" who face six months of residential confinement after being brought to court through parental notification.

- Why do children become criminals?

On the 31st, "Unanswered Questions" examines the dilemma surrounding "delinquent juveniles" who are brought before the court due to the concern that they may commit crimes.

A child led away in restraints

“Two men got out of a van, and without knowing who they were catching, I just ran.”

- Yoo Ha-eun (pseudonym, 18 years old)

At thirteen years old, Ha-eun (pseudonym) had to be chased by adult men without knowing why. After leaving home in the sixth grade due to her father's violence, she was reportedly caught by mysterious men while living as a runaway and forcibly taken to an unfamiliar location in a van.

Ha-eun was taken to the "Juvenile Classification Center," a detention facility commissioned by the court to investigate minors. Following a protective disposition from the juvenile court, Ha-eun lived for six months in a protective facility where even going outside was impossible. The reason cited was the concern that she might commit a crime due to her long-term runaway status.

Reporting my own child

There are children who have committed deviations such as running away from home or unexcused absences from school, but have not actually committed a crime. However, legal provisions exist that allow such children to stand in juvenile court because they are considered at risk of committing crimes, and in reality, children are being forcibly detained and subjected to residential confinement.

“You have to report them through a notification when they are even a year younger. I felt that the child couldn't be allowed to be broken even further.”

- A parent who filed a notification for their child

Guardians or facility heads can bring so-called "delinquent juveniles" to court through a procedure called "notification." Surprisingly, many parents are reportedly considering or have actually utilized this notification. They claim they chose notification as a last resort to protect children who are out of control from committing larger crimes.

Protection or punishment?

Delinquent juveniles who are brought to court due to the notification of a parent or facility head express feelings of unfairness and betrayal. One child, who was even a victim of sexual crime but was classified as a delinquent juvenile and subsequently detained and isolated in a facility, also appeared before the production team's camera. What exactly happens to children classified as "delinquent"?

Parents who expected the notification would return their child to the right path have also come forward, reporting extreme conflict with their children. These parents requested help, stating that communication has been severed and the child's deviations have worsened. Is the delinquent juvenile system an inevitable measure for crime prevention, or a human rights violation that brands children as future criminals?

This week's SBS "Unanswered Questions" will be broadcast this Saturday at 11:10 PM.

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