United Nations Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice A/RES/69/194 international human rights instruments, to ensure, when informal justice systems are resorted to, that violence against children is appropriately denounced and deterred, that perpetrators of violence against children are held accountable for their actions and that redress, support and compensation for child victims is provided. 26. Recognizing that measures to protect and assist child victims of violence must continue after the person accused of that violence has been convicted and sentenced, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while taking into consideration relevant international human rights instruments: (a) To ensure the right of a child victim of violence, or his or her parents or legal guardian, to be notified of the offender’s release from detention or imprisonment if they so wish; (b) To develop, implement and evaluate treatment and reintegration and rehabilitation programmes for those convicted of violence against children that prioritize the safety of victims and the prevention of recidivism; (c) To ensure that judicial and correctional authorities, as appropriate, monitor compliance by perpetrators with any treatment or other court order; (d) To ensure that the risk to a child victim of violence and the best interests of that child are considered at the time of making decisions concerning the release of the offender from detention or imprisonment or the re-entry of the offender into society. IX. Ensuring that sentencing reflects the serious nature of violence against children 27. Recognizing the serious nature of violence against children, while taking into account the fact that the perpetrators of that violence may also be children, Member States are urged, as appropriate and while taking into consideration relevant international human rights instruments: (a) To ensure that offences involving violence against children are, by law, punishable by appropriate penalties that take into account their grave nature; (b) To ensure that national law takes into account specific factors which may aggravate a crime, including the age of the victim, the fact that the victim is severely handicapped mentally or intellectually, repeated violent acts, abuse of a position of trust or authority and perpetration of violence against a child in a close relationship with the offender; (c) To ensure that people who commit acts of violence against children while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other substances are not exempt from criminal responsibility; (d) To ensure that individuals can be prohibited or restrained by a court order or other means, within the framework of the national legal system, from harassing, intimidating or threatening children; (e) To ensure that safety risks, including the vulnerability of victims, are taken into account in decisions concerning non-custodial sentences, bail, conditional release, parole or probation, especially when dealing with repeat and dangerous offenders; (f) To make available to the courts, through legislation, a full range of sentencing dispositions to protect the victim, other affected persons and society from further violence, and to rehabilitate the perpetrator, as appropriate; 19/29