Sentencing Child Offender: Key principles and Substances that the Juvenile Court Needs to Consider in Tanzania

Children commit crimes and they are convicted daily in our courts. Once the court convicts child as an offender, it must impose correctional measures immediately. The major rationale for handling down to mechanisms is rehabilitate offender. Thus, Juvenile Court obliged maintain strengthen family relationships, choose a least restrictive sentence which proportionate both offence offender that makes change accept his or her responsibilities towards commission of offence. obligation juvenile well enshrined international legal instruments necessitated introduction key principles be considered sentencing offenders Tanzania. introduced by focus on: rehabilitation offender; maintaining strengthening relationships; being restrictive; youthfulness child; consideration interest society; enabling over committed. Based on this, Child Act focuses more non-custodial sentences; consider when not provided explicitly rather there presented its Rules. present article discusses Case Laws, Statutes provisions laws position Tanzania regarding substances It further points out gaps practices normally emerge considering proper concluded should reflect instruments. courts other state organs make sure their practice meets purpose children offenders.