Benue State University, Makurdi

An Examination of Child Justice Administration under the Child’s Rights Act, 2003

Kabo, S.E.^*

Abstract

Juvenile justice administration in Nigeria was hitherto regulated by Children and Young Persons’ Act (CYPA). The CYPA only regulates the life of the child in relation to criminal offences. The Child’s Rights Act (CRA) on the other hand regulates both the criminal and civil aspects of the rights of the child, hence the need to examine the child justice administration under the CRA in order to note the improvement or difference under the new regime. This research employed doctrinal method and it is discovered that the civil aspects of the rights and protection of the child like rights to education, health services, prohibition of child abuse and exploitation of the child not provided under the CYPA are protected by the CRA. The enactment of the CRA in 2003 provides for the protection of both the criminal and civil aspects of the rights of the child in a single statute for the first time in Nigeria. This article examines child justice administration under the CRA and discovered new innovations in child’s rights administration. However, it is found that borstal institutions in Nigeria are still grossly inadequate. It is recommended that State Governments should establish state-owned borstal institutions instead of relying on the Federal Government.

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