Youth justice: specialization as an epistemological imperative

Abstract

The article argues that youth justice has not achieved a genuine identity distinct from ordinary criminal law, despite the solid international regulatory framework based on the principle of specialization. It suggests that the ineffectiveness of this principle is due to the persistence of an underlying mindset rooted in the adult criminal justice model, which shapes the decisions and perceptions of practitioners. The text analyzes how this influence manifests itself in theoretical and methodological reductionism, the interpretation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child from a punitive logic, the prioritization of the act over the harm, and criminalization over protection. To overcome this stagnation, epistemological reengineering that promotes a deep and strategic understanding of the specialization is proposed, understood as a guiding principle that requires a holistic, restorative, and interdisciplinary approach. The article concludes that effective transformation requires active advocacy for the principle, changes in professional training, and a higher ranking of youth justice in power structures.