Dangerous children and children in danger. Some empirical and ethical aspects of primary prevention of juvenile delinquency and child abuse

Abstract

The present debate on the prevention of juvenile delinquency pays much attention to the relation between parental rights and society's interests. However, a very import third element in this balance is the rights of children. Early support to families at risk can prevent juvenile delinquency as well as child abuse. There are indications that by early, comprehensive and intensive support to young parents at-risk the quality of child rearing can be ameliorated. This type of unsolicited intervention needs an ethic legitimisation which has to be based on the rights of children.