Georgia to introduce German-model care system for juvenile offenders, ruling party MP

Georgia plans to adopt a new juvenile care framework modeled on German practice to better protect minors who come into conflict with the law, the chair of Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, Archil Gorduladze, said as he presented a new legislative package on juvenile welfare on Wednesday.

Gorduladze stressed that the state had a duty to care for all children, including those who commit offenses. “The state has an obligation to look after the next generation, including children who break the law. Even now, the state carries this responsibility, and a dedicated service operates under the Ministry of Health,” he said.

According to Gorduladze, the draft law introduced a multidisciplinary decision-making mechanism, involving experts, psychologists and the child’s parents, who will assess whether it was appropriate to separate a minor from an environment that encourages criminal behaviour. If necessary, the child would be placed - under court supervision - in a specialised care institution.

“The child may be placed for up to six months, during which legal representatives and parents will have unrestricted access to monitor the care programmes being implemented,” Gorduladze explained. He added that early release was possible with court approval, while extensions beyond six months would require expert assessment and a separate judicial decision.

Gorduladze highlighted that the framework fully aligned with European standards, noting that its structure mirrored legislation currently in force in Germany. The reform, he said, aimed to provide minors with safe living conditions while shielding them from adults who may manipulate or involve them in criminal activity.

He pointed to a rise in offences committed by juveniles aged 14 to 18, with some children displaying criminal behaviour even before reaching the age of legal responsibility. “The state is taking responsibility for these children by creating and implementing care programmes similar to those used in Germany,” he said. “The goal is to prevent minors from ending up in environments where criminal actors exert influence over them.”

Gorduladze said the new system would ensure protection, proper accommodation and targeted rehabilitation programmes for vulnerable minors, adding that isolating children from criminal networks was essential to preventing further exploitation.