Former Romanian judge Cristi Dănileț has drawn public attention to a serious problem in the country’s child protection system. He claims that children under 14 who commit serious offences are not held accountable in court and are placed in social protection centres alongside child victims. Dănileț argues that only three counties - Brașov, Brăila and Dâmbovița - have specialised juvenile centres, and that in the rest of the country offenders are housed with abuse victims. The National Authority for the Protection of Children (ANPDC) has refuted these allegations, stating that every county has residential services for children with behavioural disorders, including those who have committed crimes, and that offenders are not mixed with victim children. Dănileț further criticises the lack of reaction from child‑protection institutions and stresses that children who commit serious crimes can be placed in special facilities under the Directorate General for Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC). The former judge’s comments highlight concerns over the treatment of juvenile offenders and the adequacy of Romania’s child‑protection infrastructure.

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