R.A.

9344
JUVENILE JUSTICE & WELFARE ACT OF 2006

LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC 0F THE PHILIPPINES

• Republic Act No. 9344 or the “Juvenile Justice and
Welfare Act” defines the Juvenile Justice and Welfar
e System as a system dealing with children at risk a
nd children in conflict with the law, which provides
child-appropriate proceedings, including programm
es and services for prevention, diversion, rehabilita
tion, re-integration and aftercare to ensure their no
rmal growth and development.
• Child at Risk (CAR) refers to a child who is vulnerable t
o and at the risk of committing criminal offences becau
se of personal, family and social circumstances. Some o
f the examples mentioned in the law are: being abando
ned or neglected, and living in a community with a hig
h level of criminality or drug abuse.
• Intervention - a series of programs aimed to address th
e causes of the commission. of the offense. The activie
s under the programs may cary from counseling, educa
tion, and so on, depending on the assessment of the so
cial worker.
• Child In-Conflict with the Law (CICL) - refers to a child
who is alleged as, accused of, or adjudged as, having co
mmitted an offense under Philippine laws.
Child Exempt from Criminal Responsibility

• A child fifteen (15) years of age or under at the time of th

e commission of the offense. A child is deemed to be fift
een (15) years of age on the day of the fifteenth annivers
ary of his/her birthdate.
• A child above fifteen (15) years but below eighteen (18) y
ears of age.

Such child shall be subjected to an intervention program. B

ut, if he/she acted with discernment, he/she shall be subje
cted to appropriate proceedings.

Note: Exemption from criminal liability does not include ex

emption from civil liability
• Discernment means the capacity of the child at the
time of the commission of the offense to understan
d the difference between right and wrong and the c
onsequences of the wrongful act.
• Initial Contact refers to a minor that commits a cri
me.
• Local Social Welfare and Development Officer (LS
WDO) - refers to the City/Municipal Social Welfare
and Development Office social worker who attends
to cases of CICL in their juridical area.
Diversion refers to an alternative, child-appropriate p
rocess of determining the responsibility and treatme
nt of a child in conflict with the law on the basis of hi
s/her social, cultural, economic, psychological or edu
cational background without resorting to formal cour
t proceedings.

a. Barangay Level
b.LSWDO Level
c.Law Enforcement (WCPD)
d. Procecutor Level
e. Court Level
 Prosecution- formal court proceeding.
• Delinquency Proceeding refers to a proceeding in a
juvenile court. A juvenile delinquency proceeding is
a civil action rather than a criminal proceeding.
• Youth Rehabilitation Center refers to a residential c
are facility managed by the Department of Social W
elfare and Development (DSWD), LGUs, licensed an
d/or accredited NGOs monitored by the DSWD, whi
ch provides care, treatment and rehabilitation servi
ces for children in conflict with the law.
• After Care refers to the after the process of rehabili
tation.
 'Bahay Pag-Asa"
• A 24-hour child-caring institution established, funde
d and managed by local government units (LGUS) a
nd licensed and/or accredited non government org
anizations (NGOs) providing short-term residential c
are for children in conflict with the law who are abo
ve fifteen (15) but below eighteen (18) years of age
who are awaiting court disposition of their cases or
transfer to other agencies or jurisdiction.
 REFERENCE

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2006/04/2 8/repu
blic-act-no-9344-s-2006/