Research and development in criminal law and criminology

Research and development in criminal law and criminology

Criminal Policy of Iran and Jordan Regarding Juvenile Delinquency

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Abolfazl Parvin kondrood 1
Mohammad Ali Haji Deh Abadi, 2
1 university of Qom , Qom. Iran
2 Associate Professor of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law, Qom University
10.22034/jclc.2025.2058788.1185
Abstract
Juvenile delinquency is considered one of the most critical legal and social challenges in modern societies, and addressing it requires a specialized, differentiated criminal policy centered on the best interests of the child. This study, using a comparative approach and descriptive-analytical method, examines the criminal policies of Iran and Jordan in dealing with juvenile delinquency. Both countries have a relatively long-standing history in this field and, over the years, have taken continuous and significant steps toward developing differentiated criminal policies for children and adolescents. Jordan was selected for this comparative study due to its pioneering role among Arab countries in adopting juvenile-specific criminal policies, the relative simultaneity of its policy developments with those of Iran, and its proactive stance in reforming judicial procedures.The main research question is whether these two countries have managed to develop an effective and desirable model of juvenile justice, and what their similarities, differences, and challenges are in both legislation and implementation. The findings indicate that while both countries have in recent decades moved away from purely punitive and repressive approaches toward more rehabilitative, reformative, and educational strategies for dealing with juvenile offenders—and have adopted differentiated and mitigated criminal policies—significant legislative and practical challenges remain, particularly in harmonizing laws with international standards.In Iran, responses to juvenile crimes vary based on the type of offense (ḥadd, qiṣāṣ, diya, or ta‘zīr), and within the ta‘zīr category, also depend on the offender's age group (from 9 to 18 years). In contrast, Jordan’s legal approach is based solely on age classification, dividing responses into two main categories: custodial measures (Articles 25 and 26) and alternative measures (Article 24).This research concludes by offering recommendations such as strengthening restorative justice, revising certain legal provisions, avoiding legislative ambiguity, enhancing preventive strategies, and increasing public awareness—emphasizing the need to reform and modernize the criminal policies of both Iran and Jordan concerning juvenile offenders.
Keywords
Juvenile Delinquency
Juvenile Criminal Policy
Restorative Justice
Protective and Educational Measures
Punishment

Subjects

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Research and development in criminal law and criminology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 10 August 2025