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 against children and to protect child victims effectively; and strategies and measures to prevent and respond to violence against children in contact with the justice system. Good practices are set forth, to be considered and used by Member States within the framework of their national legal systems in a manner consistent with applicable international instruments, including relevant human rights instruments, and taking into consideration relevant United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice. Member States should be guided by the Model Strategies and Practical Measures to the maximum extent of their available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international cooperation. Definitions 6. For the purposes of the Model Strategies and Practical Measures: (a) “Child” means, as in article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,22 “every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier”; (b) A “child protection system” refers to the national legal framework, formal and informal structures, functions and capacities to prevent and respond to violence against and abuse, exploitation and neglect of children; (c) “Children in contact with the justice system” refers to children who come into contact with the justice system as victims or witnesses, children alleged as, accused of or recognized as having infringed criminal law, or children who are in any other situation requiring legal proceedings, for example regarding their care, custody or protection, including cases involving children of incarcerated parents; (d) “Child-sensitive” denotes an approach that takes into consideration the child’s right to protection and individual needs and views in accordance with the age and maturity of the child; (e) “Child victims” denotes children who are victims of crime regardless of their role in the offence or in the prosecution of the alleged offender or group of offenders; (f) “Crime prevention” comprises strategies and measures that seek to reduce the risk of crimes occurring and their potential harmful effects on individuals and society, including fear of crime, by intervening to influence the multiple causes of crime; (g) “Criminal justice system” refers to laws, procedures, professionals, authorities and institutions that apply to victims, witnesses and persons alleged as, accused of or recognized as having infringed criminal law; (h) “Deprivation of liberty” means any form of detention or imprisonment or the placement of a person in a public or private custodial setting, from which that person is not permitted to leave at will, by order of any judicial, administrative or other public authority; (i) “Diversion” refers to a process for dealing with children alleged as, accused of or recognized as having infringed criminal law as an alternative to judicial proceedings, with the consent of the child and the child’s parents or legal guardian; _______________ 22 6/29 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, No. 27531.