October 5, 2021: Training on Child Psychology (Phase I) for the Judges

 

Children in Bhutan is entering a new phase of life. As the nation progresses, we witness an unrestrained development in the field of science and technology. This is putting our children into a complex world of competition, and new expectations, making them as very critical forces of agent as well as susceptible sections of the society. Rapid modernization has changed the ways children interact and expect from the society. They offer an important opportunity for Bhutan to build a resilient justice system and expand our ways of judicial maneuver and new judicial enterprises. Today, our children require the system to meet their expectations and they look to a future which is advanced and that meets the requirements of an ultra-modern society.

With the emerging legal science and development of science to assist in our legal decision makings, child psychology has become an important part of socio-legal science. Although the field of child psychology had been in the past, today, it is penetrating the mindset of the justice system and begins to act as an important force in the judicial decision-making of our Courts.

Today, a time has come where the laws have to be applied in light of the science and evolving concepts of administration of justice by incorporating scientific evidences and values. Science has become an important tool to assist a Judge in decision-making; thus, enabling a court to make a scientific as well as a right decision. Basically, it is the understanding on how a child develops, thinks and reacts so that we are able to scrutinize their actions in line of their thoughts and decision-making ability.

The development of a child is a scientific matter. The socio-scientific development of a child is an evolving socio-legal science. A child develops in stages and so is their mental faculties. As a matter of fact, today the blanket application of law has become incomplete without the application of child science and child psychology. Child behaviourism is also a growing field of legal study. The most important factor in understanding a child is through understanding their behavior, and the reasons why they commit offences and come in conflict with the laws. Unless we are aware about their potential backgrounds and the reasons, justice will still remain both incomplete and unjust. A clear legal and scientific understanding of the matters is crucial to provide just based on reasoned decisions and scientific evidences.

To recognize the children of today as the product and exposed to modern science and technology, we need to recognize the importance of science and scientific analysis of the facts, circumstances and results to ensure that our decisions are accurate as well as modern. It is universally agreed that a child is born as an innocent human being. Nurturing a child is crucial for proper development so that they grow as responsible citizens, who are able to spearhead progressive ideas and growth. Importantly, the positive growth of a child relies on basic elements of care, and proper channelization of energy and positive growth force. We are aware that child’s physical, psychological, moral and spiritual development helps them to build as a competent and conscious person.

In this pursuit, the Bhutan National Legal Institute in collaboration with the Supreme Court with facilitators from the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, is conducting a training for the Judges to comprehend the fundamentals of Child Psychology. The first phase of the training is conducted for the judges of eastern and southern Dzongkhags while Phase (II) of the training will be conducted for the Judges of central and western Dzongkhags. The training which is funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) under the Justice Sector Programme (2018-2023) will end on October 7, 2021.

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