Juvenile Courts in the Republic of Kazakhstan: History, Realities and Prospects

The paper describes the history, realities and prospects of development of specialized juvenile courts in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The relevance of the topic is related to the ongoing judicial and legal reforms in the Republic of Kazakhstan that are aimed at developing the specialization of courts and judges. Specialization of courts and judges as a vector of development of the judicial system and improvement of judicial proceedings is particularly relevant in the context of global competitiveness. Based on the study of the prerequisites that led to the need to create specialized courts, the current state of juvenile courts of the Republic of Kazakhstan is evaluated and trends in its further development are predicted, which constitute the theoretical and practical significance of the research topic. The study showed a significant role of juvenile courts in improving the sociodemographic characteristics of the population. Based on the results of the study, brief conclusions were made confirming the relevance of the chosen topic, and at the same time the demand and justification of specialized juvenile courts of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The methodological basis of the research consists of historicallegal and comparative-legal methods of cognition of objective reality, as well as methods of legal statistics and forecasting. The works of famous Kazakh scientists became the theoretical basis of the research. The first decrees of the President of Kazakhstan, constitutional, statutory and legislative acts of Kazakhstan, as well as strategic, conceptual and program documents on development of Kazakhstan compose the normative basis of the research. The empirical basis of the study is regional statistical data on the work of specialized juvenile courts. The data of a sociological survey among persons who participated in trials that took place in 16 specialized juvenile courts are studied. Analytical reports, as well as information reviews on the activities of specialized juvenile courts and the state of their administration of justice are considered. The author researched the results of the implementation of pilot projects called "Judicial Mediation"; "Juvenile Justice"; "Reconciliation: Before and in Court"; "Family Court". The paper presents the experience of establishing family courts in the countries of America, Japan, and the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.

specialization of courts, specialization of judges, specialized courts, Kazakhstan courts, judicial power, judicial system, judicial system, family courts, juvenile courts, juvenile justice

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