- Law Library Home
- About the Law Library
- Find Legal Resources
- Research Help
- Research & Educational Opportunities
- News & Events
- Visiting the Law Library
- Contact Us
Related Resources at the Library
The Global Legal Monitor is an online publication from the Law Library of Congress covering legal news and developments worldwide. It is updated frequently and draws on information from the Global Legal Information Network, official national legal publications, and reliable press sources. You can search previous news by searching the archive.
France: Criminal Procedure - Security Measure Against Violent Offenders
To link to this article, copy this persistent link:
http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_349_text
(Apr. 02, 2008) A French law of February 25, 2008, provides, in exceptional cases, for keeping certain categories of violent offenders in specialized detention centers after the offenders have served their sentences if they are still deemed to pose a public threat and there is a high probability that they will relapse. The law applies to violent offenders sentenced to at least 15 years of imprisonment for the following crimes committed against a minor: premeditated murder, murder, torture or barbaric acts, rape, and kidnapping or unlawful restraint. It also applies to the following crimes committed against an adult: premeditated murder, aggravated murder, aggravated torture or barbaric acts, and aggravated kidnapping or unlawful restraint.
Application of the security measure may only be pronounced if the original court that sentenced the offender expressly authorized, at the time of the sentencing, a re-examination of the offender's situation upon completion of the sentence. Once such a pronouncement has been made, the offender is placed in the specialized detention center, where he/she will receive medical, social, and psychological care. The offender may be placed in the center for one year, renewable. The law does not provide any time limit. The measure is pronounced by the territorially competent court after consultation with a specialized commission.
The law does not apply to offenders currently serving their sentences or who were sentenced before the law was passed. (Loi No. 2008-174 du 25 févier 2008 relative à la rétention de sûreté et à la déclaration d'irresponsabilité pénale pour cause de trouble mental, JOURNAL OFFICIEL [France's Official Gazette], Feb. 26, 2008, at 3266.)
- Author: Nicole Atwill
- Topic: Criminal Procedure More on this topic
- Jurisdiction: France More about this jurisdiction
Search Legal News Archives |
RSS |
Last updated: 04/02/2008